Searching for a Reason
by Gemini14
Summary: PMK RK Crossover. Ten years after the Revolution, Tetsunosuke Ichimura finds himself wandering without a home or a purpose. At least until he arrives in Tokyo, 11th Year of the Meiji...
1. Wandering Wolf

Searching for a Reason

Chapter One: Wandering Wolf

It had been ten years. Ten years since the revolution ended, and the era called Meiji had begun. Tetsunosuke Ichimura, former page to the so-called 'Demon Hijikata' now wandered the land without purpose. It was on a cold day in late spring when he finally arrived in Tokyo. It was raining, he knew that much.

"_Weather Okita-san would've hated._" Tetsunosuke thought, with a slight sad smile. As far as he knew, he was the only remaining Wolf of Mibu. And what a sorry sight he was now; his clothes were torn and muddy, sopping wet from the rain. His feet were bruised and bleeding, and his red-brown eyes were dull, hinting at ill health.

"Daijobu ka, de gozaru?" a male voice asked. For a moment, Tetsunosuke ignored the voice, thinking it was his imagination, then turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Kenshin's talking to you. Are you all right?" the dark-haired woman beside the man asked, with concern in her blue eyes.

"Hai. Just looking for a place to rest. That's all." Tetsunosuke lied, trying his best to convince the couple that he was all right. Apparently, it wasn't working; the young woman put a soft, yet strangely callused, hand to his forehead, and gasped when she found a fever residing there.

"Kenshin, go and get Megumi-san. I'll see if I can get him back to the dojo. Hurry!" the woman ordered, and the man known only as 'Kenshin' quickly moved off.

"C'mon. The dojo is this way. You can rest there, if you want to." The woman said, as she led Tetsunosuke in that direction.

"Arigato gozaimasu." Tetsunosuke murmured, a little surprised that these people would be kind to him, considering what he was.

"_They probably don't know, Tetsu. And it's for the best that you do not tell them, for now._" An inner voice told him, as the woman pulled him into the inner keep of the dojo, then into the dojo itself. Within moments, Tetsunosuke was dry and warm beneath the roof of the dojo.

"Damn, he looks like death warmed over. It's a good thing you sent Kenshin after the kitsune-onna." Another, different male voice muttered, as its owner meandered into sight. The young woman nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks for getting the extra clothes for him, Sano. I really appreciate it." the woman said, gratefully.

"No prob." The man said, with a shrug.

"_Sano?! Man, that brings back memories! This guy even looks a little bit like Harada!_" Tetsunosuke thought, as the woman gently made him lay back, and put a cool cloth to his burning forehead.

"So, can you tell us your name?" 'Sano' asked, curiosity edging its way into his voice as he said that.

"Ichimura Tetsunosuke. I'm twenty-five years old and a wandering swordsman by trade." Tetsunosuke replied, wincing when his throat protested against talking.

"A rurouni, huh? Then you're a lot like Kenshin. By the way, my name is Kamiya Kaoru. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ichimura-san." the woman said, with a smile.

"Please, just call me Tetsu, Kamiya-san." Tetsunosuke said, reminded of another person from his past as he gazed at her.

"Then you can call me Kaoru. Everyone else does." Kaoru stated, her expression deadpanning when a boyish voice shouted something to the effect of 'but there are some that call her a tanuki!' Tetsunosuke couldn't help but smile when Kaoru turned and snarled at the owner of the voice, daring him to call her that again to her face.

"Feh. Yahiko seems to have a death wish today." Sano muttered, looking away when he heard the front shoji open, and Kenshin and Megumi's voices came to his ears.

"Now, where is the patient?" a woman that reminded Tetsunosuke even more strongly of Ayume than Kaoru had, asked, as she entered the room.

"Right here." Tetsunosuke said, getting the woman's attention. For a moment, she seemed to do a double-take; looking first at Kenshin, then at Tetsunosuke, and back again.

"It's unbelievable………….He looks almost as though he could be Ken-san's younger brother!" 'Megumi' yelped, her surprise very evident in her voice and expression.

"I somehow doubt that, Megumi-dono. He looks to be only about sixteen or seventeen years old, de gozaru." Kenshin said, a bit shakily and with an uneasy smile. Tetsunosuke only smiled and sighed.

"But Kenshin, he told us he is about three years younger than you. So that would have made you contemporaries, in the very least." Kaoru said, as she eyed Tetsunosuke's red hair and lean body.

"I suppose so…………..So, do you have anyplace to stay while you are in Tokyo?" Kenshin asked. Tetsunosuke shook his head.

"Iie. And I have no one to stay with. I'm a rurouni, in the truest sense of the word." Tetsunosuke replied, sadly. He got a look of genuine sympathy from Kenshin as a result.

"I know how that feels only too well, since I was the same way until recently, de gozaru." Kenshin murmured, as he watched Megumi check the younger rurouni for injuries.

"Kaoru-san, would you mind getting the bandages for me? There's a good-sized cut on this man's abdomen that needs treatment before I can treat his other ailments." Megumi said, as Kaoru nodded and left the room to get what was needed.

"How'd that happen, Tetsu?" Sano asked, when the cut was uncovered enough for them to see.

"I got into a fight. This age of Meiji isn't all sunshine and sakura, you know." Tetsunosuke muttered, sarcastically, wincing when Megumi began to clean the cut in his side.

"I know what you mean." Sano growled, quietly, as Kaoru returned with the bandages and handed them to Megumi. After his wound had been bound, and after he'd been properly introduced to Kenshin, Sano, Megumi, and the only student in the dojo (Yahiko), Tetsunosuke relaxed back on his futon and took stock of all that had gone on that day. He'd gone from having nothing, to having a roof over his head, a somewhat palatable meal in his belly, and people who understood him better than almost anyone had in a little over ten years.

"_Maybe I should stay here for awhile. It wouldn't hurt to get to know these people better, would it, Tatsu?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he drifted into slumber, not knowing that Kenshin now watched him from the doorway.

"_Something tells me that we've met before. But where? Where have I met this young man? What battlefield did we first meet on?_" Kenshin silently mused, his purple, now gold-flecked, eyes focused on the sleeping form of the younger rurouni.

"_I guess I will remember later. For now, it is best to let the past rest._" Kenshin at last thought, before closing the shoji and heading to his own room for some much-needed sleep.


	2. Settling in to danger

Chapter Two: Settling in………to danger?!

Tetsunosuke bolted upright when he heard a yell. Despite the pain in his side, he grabbed his sword, threw open the door, and dashed down the hall in the direction of the cry. He was a bit surprised when he saw Kaoru marching angrily out of her room, with securely tied Yahiko hanging upside down from her kendo equipment.

"Nani?" Tetsunosuke asked, confused to no end about this. He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder and turned to see Kenshin standing there.

"Ohayo, Tetsu-kun." Kenshin said, with an apologetic smile.

"O-ohayo…….Kenshin, what in the world was that about?" Tetsunosuke asked, as some chuckles escaped from him.

"Apparently Yahiko entered Kaoru-dono's room without permission. Again." Kenshin said, then added, "All beaten up, as usual."

"Is there any other way?" Kaoru asked, in frustration, then noticed Tetsunosuke standing there.

"Ohayo! How're you feeling?" Kaoru questioned, a bit surprised to see him up and about.

"A little bit sore, but otherwise all right. My fever's gone, at any rate." Tetsunosuke replied, honestly. Kaoru gave him a relieved smile.

"That's good to hear. At least that fox managed to help you feel better with that medicine of hers'." Kaoru said, not knowing that, on the other side of Tokyo, a certain female doctor had just sneezed. Tetsunosuke laughed softly; he could tell that there was some sort of rivalry between the two.

"So, are you headed out?" Kenshin asked, conversationally.

"Hai. Today's our outside-training day. We're going to Maekawa Dojo." Kaoru said, then added, when something crossed her mind, "I know! Why don't you come today, Kenshin?"

"Oro?" Kenshin said, mildly confused by this.

"The master, Maekawa-sensei, wants to meet you. Last time you went home right away." Kaoru said, brightly.

"Gomen, no can do. There's logs to chop, baths to warm, laundry…….." Kenshin said, listing the very chores Tetsunosuke himself had done (and hated) when he'd been in the Shinsengumi ten years previous.

"Pigs to feed." Tetsunosuke added, smiling when the pair gave him befuddled looks and Kenshin put in an extra 'Oro' for added emphasis.

"Never mind. Long story." Tetsunosuke said, laughing softly at their expressions, before Kaoru reminded Kenshin of another chore he needed to do.

"Okay. But then you'll need to shop too. I need miso, salt, rice, and soy sauce. Oh, and vinegar." Kaoru said, trying that tactic to coerce Kenshin into going. It worked.

"P-perhaps I can go, de gozaru………." Kenshin stammered, getting a winning smile from Kaoru as a result.

"May I come along as well, Kaoru-san?" Tetsunosuke asked.

"I don't know……….can you handle a long walk, Tetsu-kun?" Kaoru asked, in turn. Tetsunosuke nodded quietly in response.

"I can handle it, Kaoru-san. Just lead the way." Tetsunosuke said, as the young woman's smile returned and they all started walking.

"We ready? Let's go! This will be so much fun!" Kaoru chirped, happily, as she marched along.

"Or not, de gozaru." Kenshin muttered, in exasperation. Tetsunosuke only sighed and shook his head. In some ways, Kenshin reminded him of his elder brother, Tatsu. If not in looks, then in attitude.

"_He wants to avoid fighting, even though he openly carries a sword. If it's true that we are contemporaries, then it's understandable. He wants to avoid conflict if at all possible. We've both seen enough bloodshed for a number of lifetimes._" Tetsunosuke mused, unaware of what was about to happen.

A youth of about ten years ran furtively between buildings to where a man in a flamboyant cloak waited. He had just left the now empty Kamiya Kasshin Ryu dojo and now had information on the sword schools to give the man.

"There you are, Sensei! It took a while, but I think I got it all." The youth said, as he looked down at his list and began to read what he'd found.

"Let's see………..There are four sword schools in this city. The busiest one is in the south of the city, devoted to Chuetsu-Ryu, Maekawa Dojo. The master, Maekawa Miyauchi, has been living for nothing but swords since he was a boy. Probably the best swordsman in the area. There's also a rurouni who lives at the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu dojo who's rumored to be great……..but that probably just a rumor." The youth stated.

"Hmm………All right. Come with me." The man muttered, getting an immediate reaction from the youth.

"Sure!" the youth agreed, wholeheartedly, as the man he'd called 'sensei' rose from his seat and started walking in the same direction Kaoru, Kenshin, and Tetsunosuke had gone in, heading for an inevitable confrontation with two swordsmen from ten years past.

Maekawa Dojo was a hive of activity as students went through sword-drills and everything else that usually went on there. Shouts of students and instructors made the place hum with almost an energy of its own. Then there was a pause, and all looked to see who had just arrived.

"Konnichiwa, Kaoru-san!" the students called, enthusiastically.

"Konnichiwa!" Kaoru replied, cheerfully, much to the surprise of Kenshin and Tetsunosuke. Yahiko, on the other hand, only scowled at his teacher as they all entered the dojo.

"We've been expecting you. Please, come in!" one student said, definitely pleased to see the female instructor.

"Oh, don't mind us. Please continue with your training." Kaoru said, trying not to be a disturbance to the class.

"Listen to Kaoru-kun. Keep your minds on training." A deep male voice said, authoritatively. Kaoru, Tetsunosuke, and Kenshin immediately looked to the owner of the voice. A grizzled older man now faced them, giving the quartet a cool and confident look as he approached.

"Maekawa-sensei!" Kaoru and the students in the dojo yelped, before the students hurriedly went back to their training. The older man nodded to the four, then fixed Kenshin with a scathing glare.

"So you must be the Kenshin Kaoru-kun is always talking about." Maekawa stated, his tone dangerous. Tetsunosuke tensed, fighting all instincts to pull his sword out and fight. He could almost physically feel the tension in the air between the two men, and was just as stunned as the rest when Kenshin laughed softly under his breath, and Maekawa let the moment go at that.

"Thank you for coming. We look forward to learning from you and your friend." Maekawa said, calmly.

"We're just here with Kaoru-dono, de gozaru." Kenshin said, as Tetsunosuke relaxed beside him.

"Is that so? Then please, make yourselves comfortable. I'll have some tea prepared." Maekawa said, giving Tetsunosuke an unreadable look while he was at it.

"_Why did he look at me like that? What did I do?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he and Kenshin went to sit down. As the hours passed, Tetsunosuke was reminded even more of his time in the Shinsengumi. On days when most of the unit captains were at headquarters, they could be found sparring with one another in the practice hall. And it had been on such a busy day that he'd challenged Okita to a match. So wrapped up in his memories was Tetsunosuke, that he halfway expected to see Okita and Hijikata enter the dojo to sit and watch the practice.

"_That can't happen now. Those times are gone forever. Hijikata-san and Okita-san are dead and buried._" Tetsunosuke thought, as sadness threatened to overwhelm him.

"What're you thinking, Tetsu-kun?" Kenshin asked, "You looked a little sad just now."

"Just remembering, Kenshin. That's all. Just remembering one of the few good memories I have of ten years past." Tetsunosuke murmured, as the master of the dojo joined them.

"What do you two think of our dojo?" Maekawa asked, startling the two men somewhat.

"It's nice. You have a lot of students." Tetsunosuke complimented.

"It is lively here." Kenshin added, noticing when Maekawa's expression darkened for a moment.

"Usually not even a third of them show. But on days Kaoru-kun is here………the famous 'Kenjutsu Princess' makes them sweat. It's become sort of entertainment for the young men. The number of students has soared since Kaoru-kun started coming to train here. There may be only ten of them who are truly serious about swords. It's embarrassing, but such is the state of the dojo once called 'best in Edo'. More embarrassing still…..is that I would use the legacy of Kamiya Koshijiro as a tool to attract students." Maekawa said, guiltily.

"You're too hard on yourself, Maekawa-dono. The Kamiya Dojo, which has so few students, benefits from this as well." Kenshin said, trying to prevent the other man from becoming depressed.

"Yeah. It's help and be helped, Maekawa-sensei. Agreed?" Tetsunosuke added, as the older man smiled slightly.

"Still………what is to become of kenjutsu? Sword arts have declined so quickly since the days of Meiji. The Seinan War brought revival…..but surely, it can't go on. Hard to believe that once there came challengers to the dojo every day." Maekawa said, with a sigh, no sooner saying that when a huge man entered the dojo. Both Kenshin and Tetsunosuke, and the rest of the people in the dojo, turned to look when the man disregarded one of the students by not taking his shoes off at the door, and striding confidently over to where they sat.

"I believe you are the founder of Chuetsu-Ryu, Maekawa Miyauchi. I request a match with you. I am Isurugi Raijuta. Who cares for the future of kenjutsu, you ask? I do!" the man said, as he removed his hat.

"_Isurugi_…………._Raijuta_……._! Oh no! I remember this guy!_" Tetsunosuke thought, as he repressed the urge to snarl at the intruder.

"I request a match!" the big man repeated, loudly.

"_Oh believe me, you'll get it. You haven't yet felt my fangs, Isurugi, but you will soon. That is a promise!_" Tetsunosuke thought, unaware that Kenshin was giving him a look that was almost akin to familiarity.

"_There is something familiar about Tetsu! It's become even clearer now, but it's still a long way from actual discovery. I suppose it's just a matter of time before I find out the truth._" Kenshin thought, watching the younger man seethe with rage against the larger man, yet remain seated because of the wound in his side.


	3. The State of Meiji Swordsmanship

Chapter Three: The State of Meiji Swordsmanship

Tetsunosuke growled softly as Maekawa quietly stood and looked Raijuta in the eye. Kenshin could tell that the big man's presence more than just bothered the younger rurouni, and this was proven true by Raijuta's next statement.

"So, the dog I defeated a week ago survived. You're more stubborn than I took you for." Raijuta sneered. Tetsunosuke's hackles rose.

"You'll find that I'm not that easy to kill, gutter trash." Tetsunosuke snarled, as he started to get up, but was stopped by Kenshin's restraining hand.

"Be mindful of where you are, and your wound, Tetsu-kun. You could make matters worse by rushing into things." Kenshin murmured, as he tried to calm the other redhead down. For a moment, it looked as thought Tetsunosuke would start a fight with Kenshin, but then the ire in his eyes died down somewhat, and he remained seated.

"'Raijuta' did you say? Very well, I will accept your challenge." Maekawa said, very aware of what had almost happened, and taking into account what had been said.

"Best two-out-of-three, in the popular way. Agreed?" Maekawa asked, getting a slight raising of eyebrows from Raijuta.

"Maekawa-dono………….." Kenshin trailed off, surprised and somewhat alarmed that the older man still wanted to go through with this, despite the fact that Raijuta had practically admitted that he had injured Tetsunosuke.

"I know this is no average man. He has the skills to back up the stance. That's why I want to fight him." Maekawa said, as Kenshin gave him an uncertain look.

"I may have aged, but I am still the Maekawa Miyauchi who was considered one of the 'Twenty Best'. I will not go down easily." Maekawa added, as he took up a shinai and walked over to where the fight would be.

"A shinai…………isn't worth the time." Raijuta stated, coldly.

"What?" Maekawa asked, the question coming out in a slight snarl. It was then that the shoji was thrown open again (it had been closed after Raijuta's entrance) and a boy about Yahiko's age stood there panting.

"Yutaro, you're late." Raijuta growled, irritably.

"I can't help it. Your stride is so much bigger than mine, Sensei. As it is, I had to run the whole way here." The boy replied, breathlessly, then got right back to business.

"Anyway, the match. Do you want a katana, or a wooden sword?" Yutaro asked, as he started to unbind the cloth around Raijuta's sword.

"A shinai." Raijuta stated.

"Huh?" Yutaro asked, confused by this.

"That's what they want." Raijuta said, as he nodded his head to Maekawa.

"Shinai. Yes, shinai! They want to play with toys! Talk about a dojo surviving on just its name!" Yutaro said, from between laughs, before Yahiko kicked him, and Tetsunosuke spoke up.

"Even the most seasoned of swordsmen in the Revolution used some sort of practice sword in their downtime; be it a bokuto or shinai. Do not put down what you haven't tried." Tetsunosuke said, giving Yutaro a piercing glare of his own while he was at it. Yutaro brushed the look off and gave both him and Yahiko a sneer.

"Nice words coming from a kicked dog. It's too bad you don't have the strength to fight to back them up!" Yutaro taunted. Surprisingly, Tetsunosuke remained seated.

"Call me what you will, but you're no better than a page, standing there with your 'sensei's' swords like that." Tetsunosuke replied. Yutaro growled, but was prevented from doing anything by Raijuta.

"Quiet. That's enough. Unfortunately, I don't own a shinai. You'll have to loan me one." Raijuta said, getting back to the matter at hand.

"Pick whichever you like, but don't blame it on the equipment later." Maekawa warned.

"_This will be hard for Maekawa-sensei to win. There'll be many blows but, most likely, the last will be felt by him_………….." Tetsunosuke thought, unaware that Kenshin was thinking the same thing.

"To assure fairness, the judge should really be from a different school. I'm Kamiya Kaoru. I'll judge." Kaoru volunteered, then shouted, "Round One!"

"Come. We'll see if this is 'worth the time' or not." Maekawa said, with challenge in his voice. There was a moment of silence before Raijuta answered, but, when he did, his voice was filled with anger and contempt.

"I already know, even before you strike. When you suggested a three-round match with a shinai, already, you were 'not worth the time'!!" Raijuta growled.

"Maekawa-sensei! Run! He's about to……………..!!" Tetsunosuke shouted, before even Kenshin could say anything, and yet not before Kenshin could sense what was coming. With a fierce, almost too fast to see leap, Raijuta brought the shinai down hard on Maekawa's shoulder, then dealt him a glancing blow to the head.

"So, was that hit null?" Raijuta asked, startling Kaoru out of her dumbstruck daze.

"Oh! Valid head hit. One round!" Kaoru called, then rushed over to see if Maekawa was all right. Kenshin could hear Tetsunosuke cursing softly under his breath as he stood and grasped the hilt of his katana. The elder rurouni could tell that Tetsu had had an encounter with Raijuta before, and therefore he knew how the big man would attack.

"_Tetsu-kun_……………_what is it that he's trying so desperately to keep hidden? The only reason he isn't attacking is because he doesn't want us to see his sword style. Is he afraid about how we'll react if he does reveal it?_" Kenshin wondered, then looked up when Maekawa called his name and Tetsunosuke's name.

"Himura-kun. Ichimura-kun." Maekawa gasped. Both rurouni looked and saw that the old teacher was back on his feet, but looked very close to the point of passing out.

"Please, don't stop it." Maekawa said, as he gave both of them a look than meant his pride was on the line. They answered with some uncertain looks of their own.

"Round Two!" Kaoru announced, even thought she also felt the uncertainty they were feeling.

"You're not stopping yet? This is absurd! This will end with the first strike!!" Raijuta roared, as he dealt the older man a cruel blow to the top of the head, knocking him out completely.

"Clean hit! Match over!" Kaoru shouted, desperate to stop the match. Her eyes widened in horror when Raijuta grabbed the front of Maekawa's gi and hauled him into an upright position in front of him.

"What are you doing?! Stop it!" Kaoru cried, in alarm.

"Can't you see when you're beaten fool?!!" Raijuta snarled, his eyes completely taken over by the bloodlust. But, before he could land another blow, he was stopped by the feeling of two blades at his throat. To his surprise, both Kenshin and Tetsunosuke glared back, their eyes narrowed with anger.

"The match is over. You've won." Kenshin stated, as he lowered his sword from Raijuta's throat.

"Do you mean to kill him like you nearly killed me, gutter trash?" Tetsunosuke snarled, as he also lowered his blade, but not his guard.

"Yes. Only one life is given to a man. There is no such thing as a three-round match. A match is one round. Kill or be killed." Raijuta said, as he let the older man fall from his grasp.

"While that may be true, you have no right to say that." Tetsunosuke argued, as Kaoru and some of the students gathered around the fallen teacher. Raijuta ignored him.

"After the invention of the shinai, kenjutsu became more popular. But it lost the purity, the power it once had. The art of the sword became a weak thing. And now it only grows weaker and weaker! These fools who are happy swinging around shinai do not deserve to hold a sword! Except one of you!" Raijuta said, as he eyed both of the rurouni.

"Are you of this dojo?" Raijuta asked, now looking solely at Kenshin.

"No. For now, I impose upon Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, de gozaru." Kenshin replied.

"Ah………So you're the rurouni who's rumored to be so strong. Well, then. I challenge you to a match…………with real swords." Raijuta said, his eyes widening when he saw that the sword Kenshin carried was in fact a sakabatou. Tetsunosuke also shared the larger swordsman's consternation; why in the world would a swordsman in his right mind carry, much less use, a sakabatou?! His unspoken question was answered when Kenshin spoke again.

"This sword is wielded not to display one's own strength. As you can see, killing is what I avoid, de gozaru." Kenshin said, coolly. Raijuta arched an eyebrow.

"Is that so? Yutaro." Raijuta called.

"Yes?" Yutaro replied, eager to please his teacher.

"Take down the dojo's sign and burn it. I have defeated the dojo's master. I am free to do whatever I want with the sign. If you think differently, come at me. All at once, if you like." Raijuta said, getting stunned looks from those who stood around him, including Kenshin and Kaoru. The only one who responded was Tetsunosuke.

"You know I would, gutter trash, had I still had the strength I did before you injured me." Tetsunosuke growled, inwardly seething at his own weakness. Raijuta bristled at the name Tetsunosuke kept calling him.

"You'd better watch your tongue, dog, or you'll regret the fact that I let you live so you could keep your shame." Raijuta fired back.

"Better to be a dog than something even a sewer rat wouldn't touch." Tetsunosuke replied, calmly, his voice still carrying a deadly edge, even then.

"_Tetsunosuke has the presence of a warrior_…………._he almost feels like a Shinsengumi! Had he had some sort of dealing with them in the past?_" Kenshin wondered, as more harsh words were exchanged between Raijuta and the dojo's students, and between Yahiko and Yutaro.

"All right. I'll take you on." Kaoru said, answering the challenge.

"Kaoru-san!" the students yelped, alarmed that she was going to fight, even after seeing what had happened to Maekawa.

"This isn't my dojo, but as a dojo master, I cannot let it pass. Even if I can't beat you, I'll get in a blow." Kaoru said, bravely.

"Are you sure? I don't hold back, even for women." Raijuta growled, yet with a hint of reluctance in his voice.

"If you dare lay that sword on her, gutter trash, I'll see to it that you die in this dojo." Tetsunosuke threatened, his eyes almost as dark a red as his hair, since his anger was so intense.

"Tetsu-kun………………….." Kaoru muttered, in complete disbelief. Even though she'd barely known Tetsunosuke for a day, she had never seen someone hold so much anger in his eyes, and yet keep it so restrained from his actions. The tense moment was broken when Kenshin stepped between them and Raijuta.

"Very well. I will fight, de gozaru. But the match stays in the dojo, and we fight with shinai." Kenshin said, stating the rules of this match carefully. The big man sighed.

"If we must. But a single round only." Raijuta agreed, reluctantly. As the two prepared for the match, Kaoru and Tetsunosuke questioned Kenshin.

"You sure about this?" Kaoru asked. Kenshin nodded.

"Hai." Kenshin said, firmly.

"You saw what he did to Maekawa-sensei. Are you absolutely certain you want to go through with this?" Tetsunosuke asked, his concern for the other rurouni's safety overriding the fury that had been in his eyes just moments before.

"Hai, Tetsu-kun, Kaoru-dono. Although, I am very unfamiliar with shinai, de gozaru." Kenshin mused, as he tested the strength of the practice sword with his hands.

"Be careful. There's something up with that guy." Kaoru warned, as Kenshin gave both her and Tetsu a look that meant 'don't worry '. For a brief moment, Tetsunosuke could almost see something of Okita in Kenshin; especially when the other rurouni had given them that reassuring look.

"_Hadn't Okita-san given you that same look when Hijikata-san would be yelling at you for something or other? And when he'd had especially bad days with his tuberculosis? Hadn't that been the same look he'd given you as he lay dying in that hospital? Well, hadn't it?_" Tetsunosuke's mind asked, as he watched Kenshin approach the center of the floor.

"We're starting." Raijuta announced.

"But the judge….." one of the bolder students said, but was cut off by Raijuta.

"No need." Raijuta snapped, then turned his attention back to Kenshin, "Stand ready!" With a barely perceptible movement, Kenshin moved his shinai into position, ignoring the comments of the students behind him as he did so. With a growl, Raijuta rushed Kenshin, bringing his shinai down with a loud crash in the spot the elder rurouni had just vacated. Yet, before Tetsunosuke or Kaoru could breathe a sigh of relief, Raijuta lunged again, striking the floor with even more power than before.

"_He's strong!_" Tetsunosuke thought, watching as Kenshin once again dodged the blow.

"Why don't you strike back? Are you trying to insult me?" Raijuta asked.

"Not at all. As said, the sword is not wielded to show my strength, de gozaru." Kenshin replied, calmly.

"I see. And if you fight to a draw, you can stop my taking the sign……In that case…try this!" Raijuta shouted, as he swung the shinai in a powerful and incredibly fast downwards arc. 

"_So fast!_" Kenshin thought, unwittingly echoing Tetsunosuke's thoughts. His eyes widened when he saw the tip of the shinai blur, like a mirage.

"Kenshin! MOVE! GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!" Tetsunosuke warned, his eyes wild with alarm when he saw what attack was about to be used. Almost too late, Kenshin leaped out of the way, just as the shinai hit the floor again, only this time leaving a groove in it that had not been there before. At the same time, Kenshin's shinai flew apart; it's tip flying a good distance before striking a wall and falling with a clatter near one of the students. With a snort, Raijuta let his shinai fall from his hands, then turned to leave.

"We're leaving." Raijuta announced, giving Yutaro the signal that he was to come along.

"Dunno what just went on, but Raijuta-sensei was on top, all the way." Yutaro said, confidently.

"I wouldn't be too sure. Kenshin didn't even bring half of his strength." Yahiko stated. As the two boys made their not-so-genteel parting remarks, something occurred to Tetsunosuke; how had Kenshin been able to avoid such a quick and powerful blow?

"_I've only heard of one man that had the ability to move that quickly_………….._and there's no way Kenshin could be that man. Even though he shares that man's last name, there is no_ _way he could possibly be even related to him. Is there_……………" Tetsunosuke thought, as he watched Kenshin inspect the damage to the floor, his grim look never once leaving his features.


	4. Propositions and Decisions

Chapter Four: Propositions and Decisions

"Isurugi Raijuta, huh? Interesting guy. Sorry I missed him." Sanosuke muttered, when he'd heard the whole story of what had happened at Maekawa Dojo the day before.

"I wouldn't say 'interesting'! Maekawa Dojo is closing their doors because of him!!" Kaoru shouted, furiously, as she attacked Sanosuke with a shinai, and as he dodged every blow. He then reached out and stopped the shinai with one hand; speaking calmly to the enraged girl in front of him.

"But isn't that how it goes? Sure, Maekawa got his ass handed to him, but it was a legit match, right?" Sanosuke asked.

"B-but…………" Kaoru tried to object, but was cut off by Sanosuke.

"There's no room for 'sorta' when you run a dojo. You can't blame the other guy for being 'too strong'. Right, Kenshin? Tetsu?" Sanosuke asked, turning to the two rurouni when he said that.

"True enough, but……." Kenshin murmured.

"That man was too strong. He would have killed Maekawa-sensei yesterday if we hadn't been there." Tetsunosuke stated, grimly. He knew Kenshin was thinking along the same lines he was, since his expression was once again very serious. All looked up when another, unfamiliar voice spoke up, from the front gate.

"Excuse me, might Himura Kenshin-san be available now?" the stranger asked.

"I am Himura, de gozaru." Kenshin replied.

"Oh, very good. Here you go!" the stranger said, as he handed Kenshin an envelope.

"Invitation?" Kenshin asked, as he turned the envelope over. He heard Tetsunosuke growl when he saw that the name Isurugi Raijuta was written on the back.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kaoru asked, tensely.

"He means 'Letter of Challenge' right?" Sanosuke questioned.

"That was my thought exactly, Sano." Tetsunosuke stated, bristling at the thought.

"Alas, I am only the butler, so, in any event, I have a carriage ready outside. Do come." The stranger said, as he exited the dojo. With a little hesitation, all of those within the Kamiya Dojo followed the 'butler' to the waiting carriage and went to the place where Raijuta waited. They were all surprised when they saw that the meeting place was, in fact, a fancy mansion. Tetsunosuke listened as Sanosuke asked what Raijuta looked like and Kaoru gave him her description. They all turned when a man greeted Kenshin.

"You must be Himura-san. Thank you for coming." A soft spoken, well-dressed man said, as he walked over to them.

"Is that Raijuta?" Sanosuke again asked.

"Iie, it isn't." Kaoru replied, confused by this, for some reason.

"A pleasure to meet you. I own this house. I am Tsukayama Yuzaemon, at your service." The man said, politely.

"Tsukayama…..Are you the father of that little jerk?" Yahiko asked, getting a kick in the head from said 'little jerk' for his troubles. Tetsunosuke sighed and shook his head; how many times had he done that to his brother during the time they had been with the Shinsengumi?

"Raijuta-sensei invited Himura only! Why the heck are you here?!" Yutaro shouted, furiously, as he eyed each of those he considered his enemies, including Tetsunosuke.

"Yutaro, stop it! These are friends of the Sensei's guest. Be polite." Yuzaemon admonished, getting a prideful snort from his son as a response.

"I apologize for my son's rudeness." Yuzaemon apologized, bowing to Kenshin and the rest.

"No need." Kenshin replied, as Yahiko and Yutaro exchanged angry glares.

"The sensei is at the pond. I will lead you there. Yutaro, you entertain his friends." Yuzaemon ordered, as he started to lead Kenshin away. Tetsunosuke smirked somewhat when Yutaro grumbled under his breath a half-hearted 'Follow me', and he silently remembered what he got in return for being rude to guests when he was still Hijikata's page.

"_I would have been cleaning pigsties with my bare hands for two months if I had dared to be that rude to guests! Hijikata-san would have seen to that!_" Tetsunosuke thought, a slight snicker escaping from him when he saw Sanosuke unwrap the red strips from his wrists and as Yahiko took the cord off of his shinai.

"You gonna stand over there and watch, Tetsu?" Sanosuke asked.

"No." Tetsunosuke replied, as he joined the two in tying Yutaro to the tree (with Yahiko's shinai cord) and gagging the obnoxious boy with Sanosuke's wrist wraps.

"Now, let's go and catch up with Kenshin. He's probably meeting with Raijuta by now." Kaoru murmured, sounding a little more worried about the elder rurounithan she would have liked to admit. By the time they reached the pond, Tetsunosuke could see that the two men, despite their very different statures, would be even matches with one another. Without even having to strain their ears, they heard Kenshin when he tried to get an answer from Raijuta himself.

"What is it you want, Raijuta?" Kenshin asked.

"Himura…..what do you think of today's swordsmanship? Don't you believe it's weak? Starved in spirit? It's getting weaker with each passing year….And the weak will always be conquered. This is a law of nature. And so….Himura, will you not join us and the Shinko-ryu and help revive the Japanese art of swords?" Raijuta in turn asked, getting looks of shock and unease from the four who watched the confrontation.

"_He's crazy! The true art of Japanese swordsmanship is killing! Why would he want to return to something that can take human lives?!_" Tetsunosuke wondered, his mouth drying at the thought. He had seen so much bloodshed during the Bakumatsu, before and during his time with the Shinsengumi. And, even though he still carried a katana, he had sworn to protect life when he could, and kill when absolutely necessary…… and only when there was no other alternative.

"Are you asking me to become your student, de gozaru?" Kenshin questioned, looking just a little disturbed by that as well.

"No! To begin with, Shinko-ryu has no forms or skills. You have only to be strong. That's all we need of our members." Raijuta replied.

"Then it's not really a school. More like a league of swordsmen…." Kenshin said, voicing Tetsunosuke's thoughts exactly.

"You could call it that. I've been to every corner of Japan, fighting challenges at dojos for years. I've found precious few swordsmen worthy of Shinko-ryu. Of them all, you're the first to dodge the Izuna." Raijuta stated.

"_So that's what it was! I'd heard of a sword style that used a move like the Izuna, but I never thought I would actually see or experience it!_" Tetsunosuke's mind yelped, as memories of what had happened to him before he met Kenshin and the rest returned with a vengeance. He had also been approached by the ogre-like leader of the Shinko-ryu that rainy night. And, even though he had been beaten and narrowly escaped with his life, Tetsunosuke grimly smiled when he saw that he'd gotten at least one blow in. Raijuta had bandages wrapped around the top of his right arm from a sword wound.

"_Even a kicked dog still has his fangs_….._and knows how to use them, when things get tough._" Tetsunosuke thought, then listened as Raijuta continued the conversation.

"If you join my comrades and me, we could put an end to all five hundred schools of 'modern swordsmanship'." Raijuta stated, not seeming to notice when Kenshin's eyes took on a colder sheen.

"Put an end…..?" Kenshin repeated, then said, "A minute ago you were talking about a revival."

"It is a revival! But first we have to clear out the trash! First we crush this 'shinai' fighting, the fountainhead of modern weakness!" Raijuta announced, as Kaoru and Yahiko gasped in horror. In response to this, Tetsunosuke growled; he had been right!

"_Isurugi Raijuta wants nothing more than to return to the wanton killing of ten years past. If that is the case, then I have no choice but to stop him_……_before he hurts anyone else. Or draws the blood of his first kill._" Tetsunosuke mused, refraining from standing up and announcing his own presence outright, and listening to what else Raijuta had to say.

"When that's done, we revive true kenjutsu, with Shinko-ryu setting its' standards…..And we will never weaken again, not ever! In the glory days, even before the 'Sengoku' age of warlords, swordsmen were so powerful that we were feared as magicians, 'Users of the Whirlwind'! We of Shinko-ryu will be such magicians again, and bring the whirlwind back to Japan!!" Raijuta growled. It was then that Tetsunosuke made his decision, and stole silently over to Kenshin.

"What you want, gutter trash, is nothing more than the state this country was in ten short years ago. That 'whirlwind' as you had called it, was filled with the blood of many men, not just swordsmen, mind you, but also innocent people as well. I should know, since my own parents were slaughtered by one you would have called a 'magician'." Tetsunosuke said, coldly, red-brown eyes darker than normal as he approached. Kenshin turned and gave him a surprised look, while Raijuta curled his lip in anger.

"You have no say in this, dog." Raijuta snarled.

"Is that so? It appears my sword had said otherwise, since you wear bandages on your arm from a wound. Even a dog like me can still bite." Tetsunosuke retorted, with a calm he had learned from Hijikata himself. Raijuta's eyes narrowed in contempt, then returned his attention to Kenshin.

"Only with great fighters can my cause be accomplished. Quality, not quantity. Our mission is to create an invulnerable kenjutsu, unyielding to any form of martial arts, or European firepower. Lend your strength to me, Himura." Raijuta said, as Kenshin's own eyes narrowed slightly.

"Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, wondering what the other rurouni's response would be.

"Ancient kenjutsu is 'Satsujin-ken' meant for real war. Are you aware of that?" Kenshin questioned. Raijuta didn't even blink.

"Of course. But kenjutsu is the art of killing to begin with! This 'shinai kenjutsu' is a sham." Raijuta replied. It was then that Kenshin slowly turned away from the larger man and put his back to him.

"If you truly think so, then you and I will never agree, de gozaru. You already know the answer. It's been said already that killing is what I prohibit, de gozaru." Kenshin murmured.

"As do I. Do not forget that, gutter trash." Tetsunosuke growled, as he touched the katana at his hip. He wasn't in the least bit surprised when Raijuta ignored him and spoke to Kenshin instead.

"Himura, do you even care if Japanese kenjutsu dies?" Raijuta asked, trying to appeal to the swordsman within Kenshin for the answer he was seeking. There was a moment of silence, before Kenshin responded, but, when he did, Tetsunosuke could almost hear the sighs of relief from Yahiko and Kaoru in the bushes, and could feel the approving grin from Sanosuke.

"Of course. As a swordsman, the future of swords must be considered…But," Kenshin said, as he turned back around and glared at Raijuta, "If the future means a return to wanton killing, I want no part of it, de gozaru. There's no disputing kenjutsu is a combat art. Go start Shinko-ryu, if you think you must. But if you're going to crush anyone who doesn't see it your way, you must also expect me to stop you, de gozaru."

"I see…..we swordsmen are stubborn creatures, are we not? We can only communicate through our blades." Raijuta growled, as he put his hand on his sword and drew it. Uttering a low growl of his own deep in his throat, Tetsunosuke fingered his own sword, ready for a fight……at least until Kenshin stopped him.

"Tetsu-kun, please stay out of this. Be mindful of your injury." Kenshin cautioned, as he put a restraining hand on the younger rurouni's shoulder. Part of Tetsunosuke wanted to argue, but then he saw Kenshin's gold-flecked eyes and decided immediately to stand down. Something, he didn't know what, warned him about disregarding the elder rurouni's request. As he turned and watched the two warriors, Tetsunosuke realized that, unless Kenshin took Raijuta down, another revolution would only be just around the bend.

"_I don't want any more children to be orphaned as I had been. If Kenshin doesn't stop him, I will have to. I am still Shinsengumi, after all_……._I may not wear the uniform anymore, but I still have the duty of carrying out Aku Soku Zan_….._as much as it tears me apart inside._" Tetsunosuke mused, watching the standstill with as much anxiety as his companions in the treeline were.


	5. The Tide of Battle

Chapter Five: The Tide of Battle

Silence reigned supreme between two men as they glared at one another. Another man stood close by; unable to fight, but ready in case he had to. Tetsunosuke clenched and unclenched his hands in a futile effort to ward off the tension the standoff was causing. Behind him, he could hear the whispers of his companions; they were commenting on his own audacity, and now the silent, deadly pause between the two swordsmen.

"_Now I know what Tou-san meant when he said 'You could cut the tension with a knife'! Despite the size difference, these two are probably evenly matched. It'll be too close a fight to call._" Tetsunosuke thought, as he watched them. Then, abruptly, the feeling in the air changed. It went from feeling heavy, like the air before a thunderstorm, to almost electrically charged. With a roar, Raijuta raised his sword to strike Kenshin down, a move to which Kenshin responded with a lightning fast battoujutsu, expertly parrying the blow on its downward stroke, and holding the larger man's sword at bay.Yet, before the fight could escalate, the timely arrival of Yuzaemon on the scene, with hot tea in hand, disrupted it.

"So this is a match between two great swordsmen! It is dramatic, isn't it?" Yuzaemon asked, enthusiastically. Tetsunosuke kept himself from doing a face-fault in a mixture of relief and exasperation: yes, there were indeed still morons in the world, and, sadly enough, Yuzaemon was one of them.

"Oh, don't mind me. Keep going. I'll just leave the tea here." Yuzaemon continued, unfazed by the looks he was getting from the three he could see in front of him, and the three behind him. Raijuta growled in frustration.

"The moment's been lost. We'll postpone this…….But don't forget. You will lend me your strength, or you will die by my hand. Those are the only two paths." Raijuta said, as he sheathed his katana. Kenshin gave him an icy look.

"Neither is accepted." Kenshin replied, receiving a derisive snort from the larger man as a response. As the evening creeped in, and the events at the Tsukayama Mansion came to a close, Tetsunosuke wondered what the next day would bring (aside from the confrontation between Yahiko and an enraged Yutaro, that is).

"_Guess I will have to just wait and see._" Tetsunosuke mused, smiling slightly when he thought of his own youthful, audacious nature ten years prior, and how like Yutaro he had been then.

Early the next morning, Tetsunosuke and the rest of the inhabitants of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu dojo were awakened by the arrival of Yutaro for his match with Yahiko.

"I came like you said, shorty!" Yutaro stated, angrily.

"Do you realize what time it is?" Yahiko asked, grumpily, as Kaoru blearily rubbed her eyes.

"We didn't set a time! Now fight me!" Yutaro demanded. Kenshin turned when he heard Tetsunosuke chuckle softly and saw him shake his head ruefully.

"What's so funny, Tetsu-kun?" Kenshin asked.

"It's nothing, Kenshin. I was just reminded of the way I used to be, that's all. Yutaro and I shared quite a few personality quirks, believe it or not." Tetsunosuke replied.

"I find that somewhat hard to believe." Kenshin stated, as he, Kaoru, and Tetsunosuke followed the two headstrong boys into the training hall.

"It is the truth, nonetheless. I was quite obnoxious when I was younger…..In fact, despite his role as a secretary, my elder brother almost skewered me on a number of occasions for my bad behavior. It's truly a wonder I survived the Bakumatsu at all!" Tetsunosuke joked, getting a laugh from Kenshin as a result.

"Sounds that way, de gozaru." Kenshin agreed, as they both sat down to watch the 'match' between the two boys.

"I'm ending this! You'd better be ready!" Yutaro threatened, as Kaoru handed them both shinai, then stood back; still too groggy to think straight.

"Hey, Kaoru, be the judge!" Yahiko said, ready to begin.

"Round one. Go." Kaoru mumbled, sleepily, wobbling a little when she raised her arm to start the round.

"Put some strength into it! We can't fight like this!!" Yahiko shouted, whacking Kaoru on the head with his shinai, and starting a fight between them.

"Fight me, not her!!" Yutaro snapped.

"_Talk about reminders of ten years past! I know I did that to Tatsu on a number of occasions!_" Tetsunosuke thought, as he watched the goings on with amusement. Kaoru growled angrily under he breath, then went to start the match again.

"First Round!" Kaoru called, strongly.

"Let's go!" Yutaro shouted, getting into what he thought was a battle-ready stance. One that he quickly was told was wrong.

"Hey, aren't you holding the shinai wrong?" Yahiko asked, when he'd noticed this.

"You don't normally put your hands together. You hold it like this…." Kaoru said, as she demonstrated the correct way to hold the shinai.

"Look, I've only been trained for real swords! So what if I don't know how to hold a shinai?!" Yutaro retorted, trying desperately to save face.

"Real swords and shinai are held the same way." Kenshin and Tetsunosuke said, at the same time. There were a few moments of embarrassed silence before anything else was said. But, when it was broken, Yutaro looked like he wanted to crawl under a rock.

"Could it be that you were just bluffing all this time and didn't even know how to fight?!" Yahiko asked. Yutaro jerked in response.

"Oho! So that's why you came so early! To catch me while I was sleepy! What a waste of time." Yahiko grumbled, as he turned his back on the other boy.

"Doesn't Raijuta teach you?" Kenshin asked.

"It's not his fault. He's busy with his Shinko-ryu." Yutaro replied, getting a rolling of eyes from Tetsunosuke as a response.

"_As I thought. He's nothing more than a page._" Tetsunosuke mused, silently, nodding when Kenshin gave him a warning look that said, 'Don't say anything'.

"He says Japanese swordsmanship needs the Shinko-ryu. I can't be selfish and get in the way." Yutaro said, quietly. This earned the blond-haired boy some softer looks from the adults in the room.

"_The boy just wants to be strong. That's all. He is proud, and yet unselfish at the same time. Ten years ago, that is what would have made him into a strong swordsman_……_Who knows? He may have even been able to become as strong as Himura Battousai himself. But 'what if's' are just that; suppositions and guesses on what might have been. Still_……_even with today's swordsmanship, this boy can become strong, if he has the heart to become so._" Tetsunosuke thought, as he watched Kaoru begin to teach Yutaro in the correct way to hold a shinai; starting what would become a daily ritual for the young Tsukayama.

As morning waned into noon and early afternoon, Tetsunosuke noticed that, with every swing of the shinai, Yutaro got more confident.

"That's it! Keep it up! Yutaro-kun, you're good!" Kaoru complimented. This got an honest smile from Yutaro in response.

"Really?!" Yutaro asked, with excitement in his young eyes.

"Really. You have promise!" Kaoru said, getting an enthusiastic reply from Yutaro.

"_I'm sure he's still too proud to admit that he's enjoying this_……….." Tetsunosuke mused, smirking somewhat when he heard Yahiko grumble something under his breath.

"Ah, yes. Rivalry at its' best…….." Tetsunosuke muttered, fully aware when Yahiko gave him the evil eye.

"Time for a rest. Since none of you have eaten since this morning, here's some onigiri." Kenshin said, as he entered the training hall with some food. As Kenshin handed out the food, Tetsunosuke smirked when Yahiko and Kaoru exchanged insults, and when the elder rurouni tried to offer some food to Yutaro.

"I don't want it. You're my sensei's enemy. Can't take stuff from the enemy." Yutaro grumbled, even though his stomach was growling loudly.

"Don't be stubborn. The Sengoku warlord Uesugi Kenshin was said to have sent salt to enemy generals." Tetsunosuke murmured, as he took one of the onigiri and started eating.

"Plus, this should be safer than the ones Kaoru-dono made." Kenshin added, getting smacked in the head with a shinai for his words.

"_That had to hurt!_" Tetsunosuke thought, smiling as he playfully dodged when Kaoru took a swing at him as well.

"What'd I do, Kaoru-san?" Tetsunosuke asked, teasingly.

"You sided with Kenshin." Kaoru retorted, sulkily.

"Huh? I don't remember siding with him in this." Tetsunosuke said, laughing as he took up two shinai and blocked Kaoru's attacks.

"Well, you just did! And you haven't even really tasted my cooking yet!" Kaoru shouted, as she took another swing at the younger rurouni and missed. Kenshin chuckled as he watched the two interact; it was good to see that Tetsunosuke was feeling better, but, at the same time, the nagging feeling of familiarity lingered. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the way Tetsunosuke moved, and how he handled two swords (even if they were shinai) was extremely familiar…..but he couldn't for the life of him figure out where he'd seen such a style. Then he returned his attention to Yutaro. The boy was now seated, preparing to eat the onigiri Kenshin had given him. He scowled when Kenshin sat down next to him.

"Hey, not so close!" Yutaro snapped.

"So, how is it? Is kenjutsu with shinai fun?" Kenshin asked, as Tetsunosuke and Kaoru settled back down to enjoy their lunch.

"What, since it's just play? Play is supposed to be fun, right?" Yutaro replied. This got a shared smile from Kenshin and Tetsunosuke.

"_True, play is supposed to be fun, but if one is serious about swords, this is the next best thing to doing it for real._" Tetsunosuke mused.

"But this is it for me. Playing won't get me stronger." Yutaro said, matter-of-factly.

"Oro?" Kenshin asked, curiously, cocking his head to one side slightly for added emphasis.

"I'm going to be an invincible swordsman like the sensei, and show my father!" Yutaro declared, then continued, "He threw away his pride as a samurai and became a merchant. He bows and grins and pretends to curry favor. He sells swords, the soul of the samurai, to foreign countries."

"_His father sells swords, eh? Might be able to get another sword to replace the one gutter trash broke that night._" Tetsunosuke thought, making sure to keep his simmering anger towards the larger man on the back burner. He knew Kenshin would be able to sense if he was angry, and did his best to keep the other rurouni from finding that emotion.

"I'm going to show him how a true samurai lives by his sword!" Yutaro finished.

"But if you don't get taught, you'll never be stronger." Kaoru said, calmly.

"My thoughts exactly, Kaoru-san." Tetsunosuke agreed.

"Yutaro-kun, if you're up to it, why not join this dojo?" Kaoru asked, getting a surprised look from Yutaro and an aghast 'What?!' from Yahiko. Kaoru ignored Yahiko and continued.

"Put aside your desire to 'show' your father, and join the training sessions with a pure will to learn kenjutsu." Kaoru offered.

"Also, if you and Yahiko-kun compete with one another, you'll improve even faster." Tetsunosuke added, knowing from experience that this much was true.

"Me? Join Kamiya Kasshin Ryu?" Yutaro asked, stunned by this proposition.

"Why not? Though it's up to you, Yutaro-kun." Kaoru encouraged.

"The idea has merits." Kenshin said, smiling when some ire rose within Yahiko.

"Yeah…..like none!! Who needs that second-rate punk?! What are you three thinking?! He's Raijuta's apprentice!" Yahiko yowled, furiously.

"He's more of a page than anything else, Yahiko-kun. Gutter trash isn't exactly teaching him anything; Yutaro-kun had said that much himself this morning." Tetsunosuke stated, coolly. Yahiko glared at him with an almost murderous glint in his eyes. It was then that Yutaro spoke up again.

"Are you afraid that if I train, I'll become stronger than you?" Yutaro taunted, getting 'interesting' reactions from Kaoru, Tetsunosuke, and Kenshin.

"Baka! You'll never get any stronger, no matter what you do!" Yahiko snapped, furiously.

"What did you say, shorty?!" Yutaro retaliated, as he grabbed the front of Yahiko's gi, and as Yahiko grabbed the front of his. While this was going on, something crossed both Kenshin's and Tetsunosuke's senses; something dangerous.

"Everyone! To the wall!" Kenshin shouted, as Tetsunosuke moved quickly and shoved the other three to the far wall of the dojo. Seconds later a spearhead stabbed through the door, and Kenshin sliced the door in half with his sakabatou, just as five swordsmen leaped from behind it.

"Nani?!?" Yutaro, Yahiko, and Kaoru yelped, as Tetsunosuke unsheathed his katana and joined Kenshin in the fray. Moments later, both rurouni were surrounded.

"Excuse us, we are……." One of the swordsmen started to say, before he was interrupted by Kenshin.

"The hat is hint enough. Raijuta's comrades from Shiko-ryu?" Kenshin asked, as Tetsunosuke snarled quietly at the five, his stance tense and ready for a fight.

"_Quite a difference from a few moments ago._" Kenshin mused, as he listened to the apparent leader's response.

"Hai. Then the chat will be short. I will simply ask you. Will you become our comrade? Please consider your choices." The leader said, calmly.

"Whether you're here to argue or to threaten, still you've no hope of changing the decision." Kenshin replied.

"THEN DEATH AWAITS YOU!!" two of the other swordsmen roared, as they rushed in and slashed down onto the two rurouni.

"Kenshin! Tetsu!" Kaoru cried, more worried about Tetsu than Kenshin, since she knew the elder rurouni could leap higher than normal men. Much to all of their surprise, Tetsunosuke managed a leap that was almost as high as one of Kenshin's.

"To threaten, then." Tetsunosuke growled, as the third swordsman jabbed at him with his sword.

"I'll have your head!" the third man shouted.

"I think not." Tetsunosuke replied, coldly. With a lightning fast move, he turned his sword around, so the blunt side was swinging towards the other swordsman, then knocked him flat. He smirked when he heard Kenshin's sakabatou make contact as well.

"No wonder the sensei speaks so highly of one of you, and it seems he may have underestimated the other as well. But can you two take three of us at that pace?" the leader asked.

"You mean two of you." Kenshin stated, as a third man fell with a groan. There were a few moments of tense silence after that; Tetsunosuke could tell that things were starting to get serious between the leader and Kenshin.

"_The weird-looking swordsman that attacked with the bald guy has already lost the will to fight, but the leader of this group of idiots is just getting started!_" Tetsunosuke thought, as he sensed the leader's ki rise dangerously.

"Tetsu-kun, make sure Kaoru-dono, Yahiko, and Yutaro are well out of the way, de gozaru." Kenshin said, coolly, as he kept his attention on the leader.

"You sure about this?" Tetsunosuke asked, alert for any changes in the leader's aura.

"Aa." Kenshin replied, now noticing just how close Tetsunosuke had remained to his side since the fight had begun.

"_His tactics mirror a lot of the Shinsengumi's tactics. He must have been a member at some point in the past_………_But what squad was he a member of?_" Kenshin wondered, as Tetsunosuke slowly moved off to a position where he could guard Kaoru and the two boys effectively. Seconds later, the standoff was broken and the leader attacked. He attacked so quickly that Kenshin had no room for a counter-attack! Kaoru could tell that Tetsunosuke wanted to rush back into battle and help the other rurouni, but was conflicted by his obedience to the command that had been indirectly given. He tensed minutely when she placed a hand on his shoulder, and smiled slightly when he turned and gave her a confused look.

"Don't worry. Kenshin will be all right. Just watch." Kaoru said, trying to encourage him. She was proven true in short order; for, no sooner had Tetsunosuke turned his attention back to the fight at hand did Kenshin get in a decisive blow and knock the leader senseless.

"I…..see. You're too strong. I see why the sensei wished to destroy you….if you would not…..join us." the leader said, before he fell to the ground as well. With a scream, the final swordsman turned tail and ran, only to wind up in a just-arrived Sanosuke's grasp.

"Running away alone, leaving your comrades behind. That don't impress me much." Sanosuke grumbled.

"Let him go, Sano. There's no point chasing one who's lost the will to fight." Kenshin said, then added, "Go home and tell Raijuta. No tricks, no allies. Just to come by himself. Or to stop making sessha fight battles not wanted." Kenshin said, as Sanosuke released the only conscious swordsman and let him run away with his tail between his legs.

"Feh. Why am I always gone when you have the fun fights?" Sanosuke asked, in disgust (mainly with his own timing). Kenshin gave him a rueful grin.

"Perhaps to you, they are fun." Kenshin said, and Tetsunosuke was inclined to agree.

"Only you could call that fight 'fun' Sano." Tetsunosuke stated, wincing slightly when his side wound reminded him that he wasn't really ready for a serious fight. Yet, he could tell that some of his thoughts were shared about Kenshin's strength, when he saw the dumbstruck look on Yutaro's face.

"_All in all, I must admit, Kenshin is _powerful………Could_ he really be the Battousai? Is this man the one that haunted the shadows of Kyoto? The one that lingered on the edges of our consciousness? I wonder_……." Tetsunosuke silently mused, as he watched Sanosuke, Yahiko, Kenshin and Kaoru regroup, from beside Yutaro. He knew that he was still somewhat on the outside of this close-knit group……but he was determined to find his place in it, no matter what.

"_I've lost enough friends in this lifetime. Whether he's the Battousai or not, I don't care. The Bakumatsu is over, and I will leave it at that._" Tetsunosuke determined, as he walked over to the group; his resolution settled firmly in his mind and soul. And, at long last, he felt he'd come to a place where he would be welcome. A place to call home, despite his own violent past.

Author's Note!

I'm not sure if anybody's noticed, but I started using Kenshin's 'sessha' phrase in this chapter. It will be like that from here on out, so there won't be any confusion in further chapters. Hope this was all right! More action to come, I promise!

Gemini14


	6. The Wolf's Fang

Chapter Six: The Wolf's Fang

Ten days of relative peace followed the attack on the Kamiya Kasshin dojo by the Shinko-ryu. Tetsunosuke walked quietly alongside Kenshin and Sanosuke; absently listening while they discussed the lack of action from their enemy. He knew deep down that the larger swordsman had no intention of backing down, now that the battle lines were drawn. What irked him was the fact that he still did not have a sword to replace the one Raijuta had destroyed.

"It has been ten days since the Shinko-ryu attacked, but still no sign of Raijuta." Kenshin murmured, his voice bringing Tetsunosuke out of his musings for the moment.

"Did they get scared because you two beat 'em so easily?" Sanosuke asked. Kenshin shook his head.

"It wasn't all that easy, Sano. The man with the double blades was quite a swordsman." Tetsunosuke stated, remembering only too well the fight, and how he'd wanted to fight alongside the elder rurouni, even though he'd been ordered to guard Kaoru, Yahiko, and Yutaro. Sanosuke in turn gave them both a skeptical look.

"Somehow I don't quite buy that….." Sanosuke muttered, as Kenshin opened the door to the dojo and started to step inside. No sooner did the trio enter when loud yelling assaulted their ears.

"Who you callin' a miniature monkey, you cat-eyed freak?!" Yahiko's voice shouted, furiously.

"Uh-oh." Sanosuke mumbled.

"Oro." Kenshin said, in agreement.

"And I thought I was bad! Oi!" Tetsunosuke muttered, as he slapped a hand to his face. There, right in front of them, Yutaro and Yahiko stood, arguing and exchanging insults.

"Why are you here training every day when you aren't even a student?! I thought you were too good for shinai sword fighting!!" Yahiko snapped.

"Shinai are for kids!! Besides, I only came to gather info on the Raijuta-sensei and Himura Kenshin battle!" Yutaro yowled, in turn.

"What's to gather? All he does all day are chores." Yahiko said.

"I know! Is he a swordsman or a maid?" Yutaro asked. Tetsunosuke smirked slightly when Kenshin flinched in response to that particular jab.

"Hit a little too close to home, ne, Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, jokingly.

"Aa." Kenshin replied, just a touch embarrassed by that. Sanosuke snorted.

"The main event's not here, but the sideshow is." Sanosuke mumbled, also smirking in amusement at the two boys as they almost started fist-fighting between themselves.

"Every day for the past ten days………" Kenshin sighed, as more insults filled the air. Thankfully for the three men, Kaoru finally put an end to the fighting (for the moment, anyway).

"All right!! Enough! Both of you start practicing!" Kaoru ordered, then added, "Yahiko, Yutaro has to practice his lunging. Let him practice on you." This got an immediate response from Yahiko.

"Why me?! Forget it!" Yahiko snarled.

"Because there's too much height difference with me. So quit grumbling. Put on a mask, that's an order!" Kaoru snapped. Tetsunosuke smiled sadly when he remembered when the last time he'd heard that tone of voice had been…….He'd been the page to Hijikata Toshizo.

"_Feels almost like an entire lifetime ago_………_Amazing what a certain tone of voice can bring back._" Tetsunosuke thought, straightening in surprise when Yutaro started his lunging practice. With surprising strength, Yutaro charged at Yahiko; smacking the other boy sharply on the head with each pass.

"What do you think?" Kaoru asked, with some pride in her voice.

"Sessha feels some surprise." Kenshin said, sounding vaguely impressed.

"He may have potential beyond early expectations." Tetsunosuke added, his voice having an almost distant quality in it, as he watched the practice; his mind taking him ten years into the past, to a place where captains of the Shinsengumi and novice swordsmen alike gathered to practice. The moment was broken, however, when the tempers of the two boys flared once again.

"I'm getting sick of you hitting me!!" Yahiko shouted, as he threw aside the helmet.

"Bring it on!!" Yutaro challenged.

"Stop it! Stop it!!" Kaoru ordered, getting through to neither one of them.

"Ororo." Kenshin muttered, in exasperation.

"My thoughts exactly." Tetsunosuke mumbled, as he rubbed his forehead with his right hand for added emphasis.

Hours later, and after a well-earned meal (at the Akabeko, of course), Kenshin, Tetsunosuke, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke walked Yutaro home. Without even being prompted to do so, Yutaro started to explain himself, and his reasons for trusting Raijuta.

"I first met Raijuta-sensei on a night like this. We were following a forest path back to the mansion when our carriage was attacked by bandits. My father lowered his face into the dirt and begged for our lives. I refused to do the same, and probably would have been killed if it weren't for Raijuta-sensei……..Just one strike! That one strike settled it. The robbers were scattered like baby spiders. In that moment, I believed he was invincible." Yutaro murmured, with much respect for the large swordsman.

"Raijuta actually helping people? Now I know you're lying." Sanosuke grumbled.

"_I agree with you wholeheartedly, Sano. There's no way that filth would help anyone except himself, but the boy is too blinded by his idealized view of the man. And too stubborn to admit he's wrong_……….._Just like me, in so many ways._" Tetsunosuke thought, grimly.

"Shut up, Tori-atama! The sensei is a man of few words, so people misunderstand him. That was the first and last time I saw him with a real sword…..but I've known ever since that I wanted to have his power. Power to defeat anything. If I can be strong like him, I'll never have to live in disgrace, like my father. Himura Kenshin, you and my sensei will fight someday, won't you?" Yutaro asked, as he turned to face Kenshin. The elder rurouni gave him an unreadable glance and nodded, ever so slightly. Yutaro's eyes brightened somewhat.

"Then, when that time comes, face him fair and square. That is how two invincible men should………!?" Yutaro trailed off when Raijuta suddenly burst from the shadows behind the group; sword raised and ready to kill.

"Sensei?!?" Yutaro yelped, a split second before Raijuta's sword caused the group to scatter; Kenshin grabbed Kaoru and carried her out of harm's way, Sanosuke leaped back, and Tetsunosuke gathered both boys into his arms and dodged, skidding to a halt at the exact same moment Kenshin had.

"_Using the secret sword 'Izuna' with a real sword!_" Kenshin thought, as Kaoru looked shakily at him, then warily at the larger man.

"_So he comes to kill_……._no matter how he has to do it!_" Tetsunosuke mused, growling softly at the other man, then looking down at the two boys.

"Daijobu ka?" Tetsunosuke asked, he got wide-eyed nods from both boys.

"H-hai. But that can't be my sensei….." Yutaro muttered, in utter shock.

"I'm afraid that is the truth of the matter, Yutaro-kun." Tetsunosuke said, his eyes hardening as he glared at the man he knew only as 'gutter trash'.

"Surprise attacks from behind, in the dark, eh? Seems we're finally seeing your true nature…..and it seems Tetsu was right about you." Sanosuke sneered, but his own eyes were as angry as Tetsu's. He didn't approve of the larger man's cowardly act, either.

"No! That was just a greeting! He never meant for the strike to land! Right, sensei?!" Yutaro shouted, grasping at straws now in a desperate effort to preserve his first impression of Raijuta. But Raijuta ignored him, and turned his attention solely onto Kenshin.

"Sensei…….?" Yutaro whispered, quite taken aback by his 'teacher's' deadly silence.

"Kaoru-dono, step back." Kenshin ordered, as the larger swordsman charged and unleashed his deadly attack on him again, splitting the ground near Kenshin's feet. Raijuta then launched a series of blows that were almost too fast for any of them to see.

"Kenshin!!" Kaoru and Tetsunosuke yelped, relieved beyond words when Kenshin reappeared behind Raijuta, unscathed.

"Just like my zanbato. No matter how powerful the blow, it's nothing unless it hits." Sanosuke commented, hinting at something that had occurred before Tetsunosuke had arrived in Tokyo. With little more than a growl, Raijuta whirled around, whipping his katana in a blinding arc and striking the spot where Kenshin stood.

"Not good enough." Tetsunosuke muttered, just seconds before Kenshin got a strike in.

"Ryu Tsui Sen!" Kenshin shouted, as he landed a glancing blow on Raijuta's right shoulder. Tetsunosuke flinched; he knew that an attack like that would have sliced the man's arm off, if it had been done with a katana, and that it would have dislocated the shoulder of a normal man. But Raijuta wasn't a normal man, as his evil smirk attested just a few moments afterward.

"It would seem the 'Matoi Izuna' will not be your end." Raijuta said, as he adjusted his grip on his katana. Immediately, Tetsunosuke sensed that something dangerous was about to be unleashed, and tightened his grasp again on the two boys. Curiously, Yahiko looked up at the other rurouni, and was stunned when he saw that Tetsu's eyes were not their normal red-brown shade; they were almost blood red!

"_W-what the_………._?! Does he have a darker side to him like Kenshin does?!_" Yahiko wondered, before Raijuta continued.

"This last 'Izuna' is left to me…..and you have no chance!! Secret Sword, Tobi Izuna!!" Raijuta roared, as he brought the katana down in a powerful stroke, sending concussions through the air racing towards Kenshin, Tetsunosuke, and the boys.

"_Tetsu! Move! NOW!!_" Okita's voice shouted, in the back of Tetsunosuke's skull, mere moments before the attack slashed past Kenshin. With a move that defied normal human limits, Tetsunosuke dashed out of the way, carrying both Yahiko and Yutaro out of harm's way. He let out a yell when one of the 'airwaves' struck his side, reopening the wound there and causing him to fall heavily to the ground.

"Tetsu!!" Sanosuke and Kenshin shouted, as they, and Kaoru, dashed over to the fallen rurouni to see what they could do for him. Kenshin could see that the younger rurouni had done all he could to protect the two boys; using his own body as a shield in the process.

"_He is Shinsengumi, after all_……._he shows all their good qualities, in this act of selflessness._" Kenshin mused, as he carefully reached down to turn Tetsunosuke over.

"Kenshin……..Kaoru-san……" Tetsunosuke gasped, as he got up off the pair, valiantly holding his side wound closed as he did so.

"Don't move Tetsu! You'll make the bleeding worse!" Kaoru said, worriedly, stunned when Yutaro shoved the other redhead onto the ground and tried to put pressure on the wound by using his own hands, blue eyes searching Tetsu's for comprehension.

"Why? Why did you do that? Didn't you care that I was Raijuta-sensei's apprentice?" Yutaro asked, his voice shrill with something almost akin to panic. Tetsunosuke shook his head and smiled.

"I chose to do it……..because you remind me of how I used to be……..stubborn, pigheaded, naïve, idealistic…….and having a desire to become stronger. Also, you and Yahiko represent the true future of kenjutsu…….and I am not going to let gutter trash destroy it. No matter what." Tetsunosuke said, softly, yet with much conviction in his voice. Kaoru was surprised by the words Tetsunosuke had spoken, yet not, at the same time. For all intensive purposes, they needed no further proof of his intentions; he fully intended to help protect this era of peace alongside Kenshin.

"We have to stop the bleeding and get him to a doctor….." Kenshin murmured, as Sano untied the strips of cloth from around his waist, and bound them securely around Tetsu's.

"They might not be the cleanest things in the world, but it'll hold till you can get 'im to the Kitsune-onna." Sanosuke said, turning when Raijuta spoke again.

"Leave him be. I missed his vitals. He'll live." Raijuta growled.

"What?! You injured him again and almost injured your own apprentice! Don't you see that?!" Yahiko shouted, furiously.

"You are the one who does not see. You can't really think I'd take a fool like that under my wing?" Raijuta retorted, completely ignoring Tetsunosuke as he said so.

"What did you……?" Kaoru said, her voice low with anger. Despite the intense pain he was in, Tetsunosuke could sense that Kaoru was angry; she didn't take kindly to having her students threatened by this ogre of a man.

"You know how little money is made from swordsmanship in this modern world. Still, a large sum is needed to build Shinko-ryu. A man in my position needs a patron. Yet, my patron has this whelp." Raijuta said, motioning with disgust to Yutaro, much to the boy's shock. Tetsunosuke snarled; eyes almost glowing with fury.

"But you will soon learn that wolves tend to protect even the so-called 'whelps'. So help me, you will." Tetsunosuke said, as he stood up; not caring whether or not his wound was bleeding, or that he was at the point of collapse.

"Wolves…….?" Sano asked, bewildered by the analogy. Raijuta sneered at him.

"As though a wounded dog like you could harm me……and yes, I let the little fool call me 'sensei'. It's such a shame to lose such a rich patron, but I can always find another…..And I can always hire more goons to fake another robbery." Raijuta said, his voice sending chills down the backs of Yahiko, Kaoru, and Yutaro.

"Sensei…….how could you?" Yutaro mumbled, in complete disbelief. The final strand of the illusion had been cut with a blade more cruel than one made of metal. Raijuta then looked at Kenshin and readied his blade for an attack.

"My mission at the moment is to defeat you. Come!" Raijuta demanded. Kenshin, as a response, turned his back on the larger man, as he shouldered Tetsunosuke's weight and started walking back towards town.

"What….?! Are you running away from my challenge?" Raijuta asked, angered by the elder rurouni's apparent lack of respect.

"Wait there for one hour. Then, I will treat you to a living hell." Kenshin whispered, his eyes now an eerie golden hue. Raijuta shuddered in response, and Tetsunosuke noticed them as well.

"_Hitokiri_………_Battousai_…….." Tetsunosuke thought, as they moved off.

"Huh, this feather doll-man doesn't realize what he's gotten himself into." Sanosuke mumbled, then turned and gave the ogre a grave look. What he said next sent an added shock through Tetsu's subconscious.

"You've finally managed to anger the most terrifying man in the world." Sanosuke continued, before Kenshin and the rest moved out of earshot.

A short time later, at the Ogura Clinic, Kaoru, Yahiko, Yutaro, and Kenshin all looked up when Megumi and Dr. Gensai came out of the operating room.

"Megumi-san! How is Tetsu-kun?" Kaoru asked, concernedly.

"Is he all right?" Yutaro asked, anxiously. Megumi nodded.

"He'll be fine. The wound was gaping, but there was hardly as much bleeding as I thought there would be. I've never seen anything like it." Megumi said, allaying their fears somewhat.

"But…." Gensai added, bringing back a sense of dread to the group.

"But what?" Kenshin asked.

"He refused any anesthetic and had us stitch and bind the wound while he was awake……He has every intention to follow you out into battle, Himura-san." Gensai said, as Tetsunosuke slowly stepped out of the other room.

"Tetsu, you shouldn't even be up! What are you thinking?!" Kaoru shouted, as she gripped his shoulders and shook him slightly. Tetsunosuke gave her a grim look.

"Kaoru-san, if I hadn't been there this night, that gutter trash would have taken something precious from Yutaro. I don't intend to let him get away with it. I was lucky that the blow glanced off Kenshin first, but it shouldn't have happened at all. Kenshin, let me accompany you." Tetsunosuke said, as he gave the elder rurouni a look that brooked no argument. Kenshin sighed, nodded, then stood; he knew he couldn't argue with the younger man.

"You're both going?" Gensai asked.

"Aa." Kenshin replied, simply.

"I can't stop you, but let me say one thing. This 'Izuna' or whatever it's called….." Gensai started, only to be interrupted by Kenshin.

"Cuts with a vacuum between two layers of air, yes?" Kenshin asked, rhetorically. Gensai nodded, shocked that Kenshin had known this.

" 'Kama Itachi'. A phenomenon of rapid movement." Kenshin said, calmly.

"You already knew this…….?" Kaoru asked, voicing a question that had just emerged in Tetsu's mind as well.

"Only just now. The open wound with little bleeding fits." Kenshin stated, as he started walking to the door.

" Izuna and Kama Itachi are both names for the 'Spirit of the Wind'. The vanishing of the blade if like a summer mirage, caused by an instantaneous difference in the density of the air…….Where I was taught kenjutsu, I had to learn of many different styles, and Izuna was one of them……But I had all but forgotten about them until this night." Tetsunosuke murmured, then added, "Almost when it was too late, did I remember."

"Now, at least, sessha's own sword can be used to destroy this Izuna." Kenshin said, his voice cold and icy, as he and Tetsu stepped out of the clinic, and into the night. Little did they realize just what was to come.

Tetsu paused when they were about halfway to the meeting place, his senses picking up on another presence not too far away.

"What is it, Tetsu?" Kenshin asked.

"Nothing…….just thought I felt a familiar ki, that's all." Tetsunosuke muttered, as they continued on their way. When they got to where Raijuta was waiting, Tetsunosuke could tell that Kenshin wanted to go it alone, and stood aside without having to be told.

"You all right, Tetsu?" Sanosuke asked.

"Hai. My side hurts like hell, but it's not enough to keep me down." Tetsunosuke reassured.

"Good." Sanosuke said, sounding relieved, despite his tough guy front. Then they turned their attention to the confrontation in front of them. For a few seconds, both men stood glaring at one another, then Raijuta broke the silence.

"At last! I will defeat you!! And then I'll establish the new era of Shinko-ryu!!" Raijuta shouted, as he sent another Izuna barreling Kenshin's way. With ease, the elder rurouni dodged it, much to Raijuta's consternation.

"Don't be surprised. What kind of fighter falls for the same move twice?" Sanosuke asked.

"No one can block the 'Flying Izuna' since its edge is so sharp. But, for a man who can track the path of a bullet from a gun, dodging it is easy." Tetsunosuke stated, as an insane light emerged in Raijuta's eyes for a moment.

"Then how about this?" Raijuta raged, as he sent multiple blows at Kenshin; those of which were also dodged…….all except for one. The last one struck Kenshin's right wrist, opening a shallow wound. Raijuta laughed when he saw the blood flowing freely from the cut, his ego boosted by the sight.

"Now you know the Izuna! Ten years of my life I gave to mastering this technique from ancient scrolls! And you cannot block it! This is the symbol of Shinko-ryu! This is the essence of Satsujin-ken!" Raijuta crowed.

"Shut up, you yarou." Tetsunosuke growled, in response, his hackles now effectively raised. Kenshin, on the other hand, maintained his deadly calm.

"Happy now?" Kenshin asked, getting a bewildered 'Huh?' from Raijuta.

"If a little scratch thrills you so much……" Kenshin said, as he casually licked the blood from his wrist before continuing, "You're going to love the real blood." A chill then ran down Tetsu's spine; it was a certainty now who Kenshin truly was, but he'd still held doubts deep down.

"_No doubts now, though._" Tetsunosuke thought, straightening when he again sensed something. It wasn't the familiar presence from before, but something deadlier.

"_Someone else is watching us._" Tetsunosuke mused, growling a little when the presence got closer.

"Something up, Tetsu?" Sanosuke whispered.

"There's another fighter hidden somewhere in the treeline behind us……Can't pinpoint where he is, though." Tetsunosuke replied, quietly.

"Should we alert Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked, tensely. Tetsunosuke shook his head.

"A distraction now could cost him his life. Let me handle the other one, should he decide to emerge." Tetsunosuke said, steeling himself for the fight, just in case. Sanosuke nodded, then looked back to the two men in front of them.

"Now it's certain, Raijuta." Kenshin said, coldly.

"What is?" Raijuta snapped.

"For all your talk, you've never actually killed anyone. No true hitokiri would be so happy about failing to finish his opponent……You've no idea of the true hell borne by an assassin's sword." Kenshin stated, in the same tone as before; his now amber eyes glowing strangely in the moon's light.

"Kind of strange, though, isn't it?" Sanosuke murmured, getting a confused look from Tetsu as a response.

"What?" Tetsunosuke asked, confusedly.

"Kenshin getting cut on an arm that's already hurt. That's not like him." Sanosuke mused, aloud, then asked, "Hey Kenshin, is your right arm…..?"

"Aa. The anesthetic's still in effect, so it can't be controlled well." Kenshin replied, getting a look of shock from Sanosuke. Tetsunosuke, on the other hand, had his attention solely on the presence behind them. It had gotten even closer since the fight had begun, forcing him to be ever on the alert.

"Still, Raijuta, to defeat the likes of you, the left arm is quite enough." Kenshin said, as he gripped his sheathed sakabatou firmly with his left hand. And this was only moments before all hell broke loose. No sooner did Raijuta let out an outraged roar, did another swordsman burst onto the scene towards Kenshin.

"Kenshin!!" Sanosuke yelped.

"_Two on one! Kenshin can't handle two of 'em in this state!_" Sanosuke thought, just before Tetsunosuke did something that startled both him and Kenshin.

"Kiba Tokkan!!" Tetsunosuke shouted, launching into an attack that was eerily similar to one Kenshin had seen before.

"_Gatotsu?!_" Kenshin's mind yelped, as he dodged Raijuta's attacks, and watched as Tetsu's attack connected, glancing off of, and in so doing, breaking armor that was hidden on the other fighter's person.

"Whoa…….way to go, Tetsu…….." Sanosuke muttered, in complete disbelief. He watched as Tetsunosuke leaped back, and stood with his back to Kenshin's for a moment, before quickly moving off. And he gasped when Kenshin took another hit, this time in the left leg, bristling when Raijuta snickered.

"It's hopeless. Fast as you are, you can't move well with an injured leg." Raijuta sneered.

"Again, don't get so happy about a scratch." Kenshin warned.

"Keep it up! What can you do, at this distance? Not unless you can use the Flying Izuna!" Raijuta taunted.

"The 'Tobi Izuna' is, for sessha, not possible." Kenshin murmured.

"Not for me, either." Tetsunosuke stated, coolly, as he watched his own opponent.

"I will win this match because I control the zone! Die!" Raijuta snarled, as he let loose another attack, and as the other swordsman did the same, charging at Tetsu before he could get another blow in.

"But it's still possible to attack from outside the zone!" Kenshin shouted, then cried, "Hiten Mitserugi Ryu! Battoujutsu!"

"What?!?" Sanosuke, Tetsunosuke, and Raijuta yelped, before Kenshin sent his sakabatou flying.

"Hiryu-sen!" Kenshin yelled, a split second before the hilt of the sakabatou struck Raijuta right between the eyes. At the same time, Tetsu's opponent was also knocked to the ground by another attack, and he was out cold before he reached the ground.

"Kenshin! Tetsu!" Yahiko's voice shouted, as the boy ran over to them, with Yutaro close behind. But, before either of them could get to the two rurouni, they were both grabbed by their ankles and hoisted into the air by an infuriated Raijuta.

"Gutter trash……" Tetsunosuke snarled, his eyes returning to the shade of red Yahiko had seen earlier, as he gripped his katana tightly in his right hand, and as Kenshin retrieved his sakabatou.

"D-don't move! If either of you move, I'll kill these two!!" Raijuta threatened. Kenshin glared icily at him and picked up his weapon.

"I mean it! I'll kill them both! D-drop your swords!" Raijuta shouted, now sounding desperate.

"So kill me." Yutaro said, softly, getting an unreadable look from Raijuta in response.

"Yeah, kill us if you can! Like we're afraid to die by you?!" Yahiko shouted, bravely.

"They say do it. Why don't you? You're always talking about Satsujin-ken." Sanosuke added, as he slowly approached the larger man.

"Satsujin-ken, the 'killing art'. It's not about scrolls or ancient styles." Kenshin said, as he stepped forward as well.

"It's about the weight of the lives you've taken, dragging you into hell. That is Satsujin-ken. If you can't understand that much, even defeating Yutaro and Yahiko is beyond you." Tetsunosuke said, as Raijuta tossed both boys aside and crumpled into a heap, holding his head as though he were in pain.

"Now what? Should we break his arm or something?" Sanosuke asked.

"No need for that. His confidence is gone. He'll never recover as a swordsman." Kenshin said, matter-of-factly. Then he turned to Tetsunosuke.

"That move you used on that other man, the 'Kiba Tokkan'………wasn't that a move specialized by the 'Peacemaker' of the Shinsengumi?" Kenshin asked, point blank. Tetsunosuke froze, then lowered his head.

"Hai. It was……and still is. For ten years I have wandered throughout Japan as a lone, wandering wolf. Like you, I have been trying to atone for the pain and death I had caused while in the Shinsengumi. The only time we were on the same battlefield was when Okita-san and Saito-san faced you for the first time. And that was just a few months before Toba Fushimi………" Tetsunosuke murmured, sadly.

"Are you here to take sessha's life?" Kenshin asked, again. Tetsunosuke shook his head.

"No. I didn't even know you were still alive……and I know that I would have been no match for you, had I even wanted to try." Tetsunosuke said, tiredly.

"Then why are you here?" Yahiko asked, impulsively, as he and Yutaro stared up at him in disbelief.

"Believe it or not, I was searching for a reason to live. For a short time, I thought I'd found it……..but I guess not. I suppose all that is left to me now is to find a quiet spot to end it all. Farewell, and thank you for everything." Tetsunosuke said, sadly, as he sheathed his katana and turned to leave.

"Tetsu." Kenshin called, as he placed a hand on Tetsunosuke's shoulder.

"Huh?" Tetsunosuke asked, as he turned and looked at Kenshin. To his surprise, a look of genuine concern and sympathy resided there.

"Don't jump to conclusions. None of us here are judging you. We may have been on opposing sides in the past, but that doesn't mean we should be enemies now. Your actions this night have more than proven to me that your words are true. Now, let's go. Kaoru-dono and Megumi-dono are probably worried about us." Kenshin said, as he gave the younger man a look of reassurance. At first, Tetsunosuke was stunned; he was being accepted, despite what he was?!

"Kenshin…….." Tetsunosuke muttered, in disbelief. He looked down when Yutaro pulled on his gi's sleeve.

"And I've got somebody new to look up to. So don't commit seppuku, all right?" Yutaro said, as he gave Tetsu his version of Battousai's glare. Tetsunosuke chuckled, despite himself.

"I won't. I give my solemn word." Tetsunosuke promised, as they all left the scene, leaving Raijuta and the unconscious swordsman there.

"Now, if all the mushy talk is through, let's get home and get something to eat!" Sanosuke said, impatiently. This got a true laugh out of Tetsu for a response.

"Yes, you are indeed more like Harada Sanosuke than I thought!" Tetsunosuke said, getting a highly miffed 'What the heck does that mean' from Sanosuke and a confused 'Oro' from Kenshin as a result. This continued till they were well out of sight of the clearing where the fight had taken place. When they were gone, yet another man stepped out of the forest. Almost blending into the darkness around him, thanks to the dark clothes he wore, the only things that could be seen clearly were his amber eyes, and the glow of a cigarette. With a slight smirk, he sighed and tossed the cigarette onto the ground, snuffing it out with his shoe before melting back into the shadows from whence he'd come, leaving only the extinguished cigarette as a sign he'd been there at all…….


	7. Swords and Memories

Chapter Seven: Swords and Memories

"You were a member of the Shinsengumi, Tetsu?" Kaoru asked, when the younger rurouni had finished explaining himself. Tetsunosuke nodded.

"Hai. In fact, I may be the last. The rest either committed seppuku or were executed by the government early on." Tetsunosuke said, then silently added, "_Or died from disease, like Okita-san did._"

"Wow. That must've been rough. If things were hard on Kenshin, then they must've been even worse for you." Yahiko said, intelligently.

"You have no idea." Tetsunosuke muttered, as painful memories resurfaced; the years of always being on the run, looking over his shoulder…….never staying in one place too long for fear that someone from the government would come to kill him. Always alone.

"So, what're you going to do now?" Kaoru again asked. Tetsunosuke shrugged.

"I really don't have anywhere else to go, Kaoru-san. And if I leave Tokyo now, who's to say whether or not someone will recognize me for who I was?" Tetsunosuke said, knowing full well what his fate would be.

"Then stay at the dojo. After saving both Yahiko and Yutaro last night, you deserve that much, at least." Kaoru said, as she sensed approval from Kenshin and gratitude from Tetsu in response.

"Besides, this isn't the Bakumatsu anymore. There is no reason for me to consider Kenshin as an enemy…….Even though just by saying that, it makes the rest of the Shinsengumi turn over in their graves." Tetsunosuke said, somewhat jokingly.

"Let 'em. If at least some of 'em can't be happy for you now, then they don't deserve your remembrance." Sanosuke mumbled, from his reclined position beside the group. They were all now gathered at the Tsukayama mansion's lush garden, enjoying a picnic Yuzaemon had prepared for them (after he'd heard of Tetsunosuke's daring rescue of Yutaro from a potentially lethal blow).

"That's rather harsh, Sano." Tetsunosuke stated, yet not without a wry grin. Sanosuke shrugged.

"That's the truth of the matter." Sanosuke replied, matter-of-factly.

"Was the meal to your liking?" the butler asked, a short time later, when he came out again from the house.

"It was delicious! Arigato!" Kaoru chirped, enthusiastically.

"What she said." Sanosuke said, casually.

"It was very good, de gozaru." Kenshin agreed.

"The best I've had in years." Tetsunosuke murmured, as Yahiko looked up, his mouth too full to say anything.

"And Yahiko thinks it was good too." Kaoru said, speaking for her student in this instance.

"Very good! Tsukayama-sama will be pleased." The butler said, before turning and starting to walk back into the house.

"Wait a moment, sir." Tetsunosuke said, as he stood up from his seat.

"Yes? What can I do for you?" the butler asked, curiously.

"I would like to speak to Tsukayama-san for a moment. If it is convenient." Tetsunosuke said, his tone all business.

"Wait while I go and see if he isn't busy. Be back in a moment." The butler said, as he bustled back inside. Not even an hour later, the butler returned with Yutaro in tow.

"Tsukayama-sama will see you now, Ichimura-san." The butler said.

"Arigato." Tetsunosuke said, as he bowed politely, then walked into another part of the garden, noticing when Yutaro gave him an almost hero-worshipping look.

"_Quite a turn of events, ne, Tetsu?_" Okita's voice murmured, good-naturedly, in the back of his mind.

"_It certainly is, Okita-san. Yesterday, he considered me to be nothing more than a kicked dog; today, I'm his hero. I just hope he doesn't think of me as his sensei now, though._" Tetsunosuke replied. He could almost hear Okita's soft laughter in response to that.

"_You can hope, can't you?_" Okita asked, with a chuckle.

"_Yeah, I can hope_……._By the way, what're you doing in my head, anyway? I thought Saito-san was the only one with this kind of ability._" Tetsunosuke mused, directing his thoughts to the ghostly voice.

"_None of us can contact him. And he hasn't appeared here yet._" Okita replied, with some concern in his voice.

"_Could that mean he's still alive?_" Tetsunosuke asked, not even daring to hope.

"_I don't know. He isn't here, but we can't reach him, either. It could be that he's still alive, but he's cut off his ability to see and talk to the dead. I guess we won't know till he shows up in your life again._" Okita murmured.

"_Guess not. It was good talking to you again, Okita-san, even if you are just a memory now._" Tetsunosuke thought, as some sadness welled up within him.

"_And it was good talking to you, Tetsu. By the way, Hijikata took offense at your remark about us 'rolling over in our graves'._" Okita said, trying to sound serious. Tetsunosuke smirked.

"_I thought he would._" Tetsunosuke sighed, snickering as he did so.

"_But I'm glad you've finally found a place to rest again, Tetsu. Yamanami is too. I can only hope that your peace lasts._" Okita said, his voice sobering slightly.

"_I agree with you there. Well, I'd best get back to the business at hand; getting a new sword to replace the one gutter trash destroyed._" Tetsunosuke said, reluctant to end the 'conversation'.

"_Gutter trash? Hmm. It seems you have a story to tell later. I look forward to it!_" Okita said, with some enthusiasm.

"_I'll give you all the details then, Okita-san. You have my word._" Tetsunosuke promised. He could almost see it when the late leader of the First Unit beamed at him.

"_Talk to you then, Tetsu!_" Okita shouted, his voice a bit fainter than before.

"_Yeah_…….._and thank you for warning me last night._" Tetsunosuke added, before the presence faded even more.

"_What else could I do? You are Hijikata's page and a good friend of mine, after all._" Okita replied, those final words reassuring Tetsunosuke in ways he hadn't even thought possible. Even though they were in spirit, the Shinsengumi was still with him.

"Ichimura-san? What can I do for you?" Yuzaemon asked, as he turned to face him.

"Tsukayama-san, I wanted to ask a favor of you, if you don't mind." Tetsunosuke began.

"Ask away. I'll do what I can. It's the least I can do for the man who risked his life to save my son." Yuzaemon said, eagerly.

"I heard that you deal in weapons. Swords especially. I would like to ask you for a replacement of one sword Isurugi Raijuta broke almost three weeks ago." Tetsunosuke said, calmly. Yuzaemon's eyes lit up.

"Certainly! I'll give you the best one I have here! But are you sure you wouldn't rather have something else to go with it?" Yuzaemon asked. Tetsunosuke shook his head.

"Just the sword, and its sheath. That is all that is required……..and all I will need to continue protecting Yutaro-kun while he trains at the Kamiya Dojo." Tetsunosuke replied, quietly. Yuzaemon straightened for a moment in surprise, then nodded.

"Consider it done! You return to your friends, while I go and fetch the sword for you!" Yuzaemon said, getting a bemused nod from Tetsunosuke in return.

Later, after they had all returned to the Kamiya Dojo (with Yutaro in tow), Tetsunosuke took his time to glance at each of his companions in turn. He could sense the general feeling of contentment coming from each one. Of course, he'd felt some apprehension from Kenshin when Yuzaemon had presented him with a new katana to replace the one Raijuta had shattered, but that had vanished when he'd promised he wouldn't use it unless absolutely necessary. And, with the announcement that Yuzaemon was going overseas for business reasons, it gave Yutaro a good excuse to tag along with the group and get to know his new role model better.

"Hey, Tetsu, do you have any interesting stories from your time in the Shinsengumi?" Yahiko asked.

"Yeah. I've always heard that the Miburo were considered demons in human form. Was that true?" Yutaro also asked, curiosity brimming in his bright blue eyes. Tetsunosuke grinned. He could tell that Kenshin and Sanosuke were curious as well.

"Oh, do I have a story to tell you! First of all, I must tell you that Okita Souji, leader of the First Unit, had a wicked sense of humor when he had a mind for it. It all started when he stole Hijikata Toshizo's collection of haiku from his room…….."

**__**

Flashback

"Vice-Commander! I brought some tea!" Tetsunosuke called.

"Fine, come in." Hijikata replied, coolly. Tetsunosuke did as he was told, sneezing when the smoke from the Vice Commander's pipe tickled his nose.

"Whoa! It's smoky in here! Why don't you open the door?" Tetsunosuke asked, getting an irritated 'Shut up' from Hijikata as a response. Without even pausing, Tetsunosuke gave the older man a questioning look. Hijikata was usually cranky, but something was bothering him moreso than usual.

"You're mad about something, aren't you? What happened?" Tetsunosuke asked. He watched as Hijikata scratched his neck; a sure sign of irritation.

"Huh? You must be imagining things." Hijikata mumbled.

"Oh. It's that new guy, Ito. I've heard you don't get along with him at all." Tetsunosuke said, with a laugh, noticing when Hijikata stiffened and growled. He'd nailed it on the head.

"I know! Why don't you try writing haiku too? You're probably not into that kind of thing, but it might help you to relax." Tetsunosuke suggested. He saw when Hijikata froze, but took that to mean he had the man's attention, and kept going.

"Okita-san showed me this really funny collection of haiku! I think one of our members wrote it………._But I can't tell if they're good or bad." Tetsunosuke said, conversationally. Now he really had Hijikata's attention, even though he wasn't looking at him._

"Ichimura, what was that book called?" Hijikata asked, his voice lowering to an almost dangerous tone.

"Umm, 'A collection of haiku by……_Ho_…._What was that name?" Tetsunosuke asked, jumping when Hijikata abruptly stood up, and charged out of the room; a dangerous glint taking up residence in his eyes as he ran. Within moments, Tetsunosuke caught up with Hijikata, afraid for Okita's life, and relieved when he saw that Okita's room was empty (despite having the door smashed in by Hijikata)._

"Shit! He got away!" Hijikata ranted, furiously.

"Um, does this mean……._You wrote those haiku?" Tetsunosuke asked, hesitantly. He was ignored completely._

"Hey, Souji! Get your ass out here, NOW!! Souji!" Hijikata roared.

"No need to shout! You'll bother the neighbors!" Okita's cheerful voice replied, from above.

"Where'd you come from, you bastard?!" Hijikata snapped, as he and Tetsu looked up to see that Okita was in the attic.

"I thought maybe we were under attack!" Okita said, innocently, then turned to the onmitsu crouched next to him with a grin.

"Thanks for the help, Yamazaki. Good thing you were passing overhead." Okita added.

"Yup." Yamazaki mumbled, with his usual blasé tone.

"Yamazaki! You too? Souji, are you listening?!" Hijikata asked, as Okita turned his attention back to him.

"Hand it over, Souji. Do it now, and I might let you go." Hijikata growled.

"No. It's mine." Okita said, childishly, as he held the book tightly against his chest.

"Don't mess with me! Do you REALLY want to get hurt that badly?" Hijikata asked, his patience to within an inch of shredding.

"Vice-Commander! I know you're embarrassed, but you're not going to make him commit seppuku, are you?" Tetsunosuke asked, as Hijikata grabbed Harada's spear and held it tightly in one hand.

"One hundred whacks on the ass, and no dinner!" Hijikata snarled, getting a face-fault from Tetsu as a response.

"What's wrong Tetsu?" Okita asked, from between laughs.

"Well. If you won't come out, then this is coming in!" Hijikata threatened, as he motioned towards the pair with the spear.

"Wait! I'm in here too." Yamazaki said, starting to sound a little nervous about this.

"Well, I'll just be going now!" Okita shouted, then ran for his life just seconds before the spear penetrated the ceiling where he'd been sitting.

"SOUJI! Hand it over!!" Hijikata roared, as he chased after the impish Unit Captain.

"The Vice-Commander's snapped." Yamazaki muttered, giving the infuriated man a deadpan look as he went.

"Uh, well….._" Tetsunosuke mumbled, uncertain on what to do, then he sighed and followed them. The least he could do was give Okita a decent burial. Members of the Shinsengumi looked up as the Vice Commander and First Unit captain dashed around, one trying to avoid the other as he ran._

"Whaddya think you're doing with it?" Hijikata snarled, as he chased Okita through the halls.

"Huh? You gave it to me, didn't you?" Okita asked, not slowing down in the slightest. This only made Hijikata even angrier.

"What gave you THAT idea?!" Hijikata growled, eyes practically glowing now.

"Oh, come on, Hijikata! You put a lot of love into each of those poems! There's nothing to be embarrassed about!" Okita assured, barely managing to hold back his mirth while doing so.

"Then say it with a straight face!" Hijikata snapped, angrily.

"Let's see……._'Knowing will bring doubt / and not knowing can bring doubt'." Okita said, as he jumped on the back of a horse and rode off._

"QUIT READING 'EM OUT LOUD!!!" Hijikata yelled, as he chased Okita's horse through the courtyard.

"Whoa……_" Harada muttered, as he watched the goings-on._

"Hijikata's gone nuts." Shinpachi mumbled, as more enraged yelling filled the air.

"I haven't seen Toshi run like that in a long time!" Kondo remarked, as loud curses came from the infuriated Vice-Commander.

"STOP!!!" Hijikata yelled, at the tops of his lungs. Hours later, when Tetsunosuke was cleaning up the mess that Hijikata had made when he'd burst into Okita's room, Okita himself reappeared at the door.

"Tetsu!" Okita said, breathlessly, still grinning as he did so.

"Okita-san! You're all right?" Tetsunosuke asked, pleased to see that his friend was okay. Okita smiled and handed Tetsu the book of haiku.

"Here you go." Okita said, just seconds before he got dragged backwards, leaving marks in the floor from his fingernails, shouting, "NOW RUN WHILE YOU CAN!!"

"Okita-san!!!" Tetsu screamed, in horror, fear filling him when he heard an almost demonic voice growl 'Give it back!!'.

"Oh……._Uh-oh." Tetsunosuke muttered, then ran hell for leather to the only person he could think of at that point; Yamazaki. He barely got there._

"Susumu…….._" Tetsunosuke gasped, as he weakly handed the book to him, only to watch as the onmitsu returned the book to its rightful owner._

"Here you are. Now, please, get a hold of yourself." Yamazaki said, calmly, as Hijikata took back the book.

"Dammit, you traitor! You stabbed me and Okita-san in the back!" Tetsunosuke shouted, angrily.

"Would you rather I betray my master?" Yamazaki asked, rhetorically. This got a face-fault from Tetsunosuke as a response. The question was proven moot just a minute or two later, when Hijikata uttered an unintelligible growl under his breath.

"Oh, so it was a fake?" Yamazaki guessed. He got no response.

"Okita-san's good." Tetsunosuke muttered, getting a slight nod from Yamazaki for that remark.

"Sorry I couldn't be of any help." Yamazaki said, as Hijikata silently vowed revenge on the First Unit captain for this…………

**__**

End Flashback

"Oro……." Kenshin mumbled, in complete disbelief. He couldn't help but chuckle at the humorous story, while Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Yutaro laughed hysterically. Even Kaoru, who had listened to the story from the back of the group, giggled at the thought of the fierce and feared Hijikata Toshizo going ballistic about his precious haiku being stolen by the mischievous Okita Souji.

"Huh. Wonder if Kaoru is related in some way to Hijikata? They sure seem to share a temper!" Yahiko said, matter-of-factly. This got a patented death look from Kaoru in answer to that. Tetsunosuke sighed and shook his head; Yahiko was asking for it. 

"Sessha doesn't think you should go there, de gozaru." Kenshin murmured, trying to warn the boy about the trouble he was putting himself in.

"Hmph. Sure acts like it sometimes, with the way she throws temper tantrums." Sanosuke muttered, deftly dodging when Kaoru took a swing at him with her bokuto. Within moments, the scene from the past was relived, only with Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Kaoru this time.

"Oh boy…….." Tetsunosuke mumbled, sweat-dropping when Kaoru shouted obscenities at the pair that were unseemly for a woman to say. Kenshin merely stayed silent, and put two fingers in Yutaro's ears; his actions speaking louder than words.

Author's Note!

Yeah, I know, pretty pointless chapter. But I needed something to bridge the gap between the 'Isurugi Raijuta' fiasco, and the Kyoto Arc. I hope this was all right!

Gemini14


	8. Return of the Past

Chapter Eight: Return of the Past

"Okita-kun, please step back." A man's voice says, echoing through time and the dreams of a past shared by two men.

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'm still captain of the First Unit of the Shinsengumi." A second voice, Okita's, replies; wheezing slightly in the very effort of talking.

"But are you not ill in the lungs?" the first voice asked, surprising Okita somewhat as the owner stepped forward. This man was also dressed in the uniform of the Shinsengumi.

"My eyes are not knotholes. I, Saito Hajime, captain of the Third Shinsengumi Unit, will kill Hitokiri Battousai." The first man announced, as more men from the Shinsengumi approached. Among them, Ichimura Tetsunosuke watched in awe and horror. So many men from the First and Third Units lay dead on the street, their blood soaking into the soil beneath them. Silently, Saito sank into his definitive Gatotsu stance, growling out one final phrase before launching into the fight that would be left unfinished.

"Have at you…….._" Saito murmured, as Battousai prepared himself for the fight, and the two met in a clash of steel._

…….. 

………………………….

"Kenshin! Tetsu!" Kaoru's voice shouted, rousing both men from sleep.

"C'mon! Get up already!" Yahiko said, getting an agreement from Yutaro for that.

"Our training visit's over, Tetsu. Kenshin." Kaoru said, getting a rather confused look from Kenshin as a response.

"Kenshin?" Kenshin asked, still seeming out of it.

"_Why does he sound confused over his own name?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, then remembered; he probably hadn't gone by that name very often during the Bakumatsu, and it seemed as though both of them had been dreaming of the past. He smiled when he watched Kaoru and Yahiko slap Kenshin into wakefulness, and as Yutaro snickered and shook his head. It had been almost a full month since Tetsu had come to live in the Kamiya Dojo, and his wound was now completely healed. He could move around without pain, and even helped Kaoru with the training of both Yahiko and Yutaro.

"Shinsengumi?" Kaoru asked as they made their way home, before adding, "I thought you two were in a deeper sleep than usual. You were both dreaming about your past."

"Those days haven't visited in a very long time." Kenshin murmured, thoughtfully.

"Indeed, they haven't. I haven't been fully reminded of the bloodshed of ten years ago for a long while." Tetsunosuke mused, a bit disturbed by this, for some reason.

"When you say 'Shinsengumi' you mean the famous army that fought the revolutionaries, right? The group Tetsu was a part of?" Yahiko asked. Both rurouni nodded.

"Our swords have crossed many times. They were our nemesis." Kenshin explained, patiently.

"But they say the Shinsengumi launched group attacks on single fighters. Wasn't that a bit cowardly?" Kaoru asked, curiously.

"Their mission wasn't to duel, Kaoru-san. It was to keep peace in Kyoto." Tetsunosuke said, with a bit of pain in his voice.

"Gomen, Tetsu. I keep forgetting that you were a member of the Shinsengumi." Kaoru said, cursing herself for her forgetfulness. She knew the loss of that group was a painful memory for Tetsu, and that this conversation wasn't helping matters any.

"Think nothing of it, Kaoru-san. It's only natural that you would feel that way, since you, for the most part, have grown up in this peaceful Meiji Era. I bear no grudge against you for your words." Tetsunosuke stated, knowing his brother would have definitely flipped if he'd heard that mature reasoning come from his mouth.

"What Tetsu said is indeed true, Kaoru-dono. Yet, the officers, especially the team leaders of the First, Second, and Third of the ten total units……they were astonishing swordsmen." Kenshin murmured. Tetsu nodded silently in agreement; he knew that firsthand. He had himself personally sparred with Okita during the downtimes, when all of his chores were done, and Okita had finished his patrol. Before his illness had become pronounced. He was startled from his grim musings by Yutaro's voice.

"Tetsu, if it's a 'unit' why were they called 'team leaders'? Weird, wasn't it?" Yutaro asked. Tetsunosuke shrugged.

"Good question. Guess I should have asked that question myself back then, but it didn't really occur to me. In hindsight, it does seem odd, doesn't it?" Tetsunosuke mused, aloud, getting a nod from Yutaro.

"The leaders of the First, Second and Third units, sessha fought against them, several times…….but never were they finished." Kenshin said, his voice soft as he remembered the battles in the dark streets of Kyoto. He could tell that Tetsunosuke was thinking the same thing, since his expression was somber. Kenshin continued.

"Rumor has all those officers dead now…..it feels a huge loss." Kenshin murmured, as sakura petals drifted down around them.

"You're pretty sympathetic. Weren't they your enemy?" Yahiko asked, voicing a question Tetsu now had as well.

"Sort of. We were on different sides, but it was nothing personal. Whatever our politics, we all fought with lives and philosophies riding on our swords." Kenshin said.

"_We did, indeed. Everything we believed in was riding on the battles we fought; both informational and physical._" Tetsunosuke mused, silently.

"Compared to the ex-revolutionaries holding government posts right now, time seems to have brought them even closer." Kenshin said, quietly.

"Wow." Kaoru muttered, sounding a little surprised.

"You find that odd?" Kenshin asked.

"No, it's not that. It's just…..I'm not used to your talking so much about your past." Kaoru said, startling the elder rurouni with her words. As they moved on, Tetsunosuke noticed when Kenshin slipped into contemplative silence, and understood perfectly the reason why.

"_He feels as I do. Those dreams ought to have been long past. Why are they resurfacing now?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he gave Kenshin a look that told the elder rurouni that his feelings on the subject were shared.

"I can't help but feel some foreboding about this…." Tetsunosuke murmured, quietly enough so only Kenshin could hear.

"I know. Something is wrong….otherwise, our pasts wouldn't have come back to haunt us like this." Kenshin agreed, looking up when Kaoru, Yahiko, and Yutaro urged them both to hurry up.

"Yeah." Tetsunosuke said, then mentally added, "_But what is it? What?_"

"_Good question._" A male voice responded, in the back of Tetsunosuke's mind.

"_Hijikata-san? What're you doing here?_" Tetsunosuke asked, a bit surprised that it wasn't Okita 'talking' to him this time around.

"_I sent Souji to find out what it is that is setting things into motion again._" Hijikata stated, as Tetsunosuke nodded slightly.

"_Is this disturbing you guys as well, Hijikata-san?_" Tetsunosuke again asked. The ghostly image at the back of his mind of the late vice-commander nodded grimly.

"_It is indeed. Current events have things so stirred up in the 'living world' that it is quite literally waking the dead as well_……._And we still have no clue as to where Saito has gotten to. That alone is disturbing enough; without his connection to this realm, we have no idea whether he is alive or dead._" Hijikata admitted, finding to his own consternation that he was having a civilized 'conversation' with his former page.

"_I suppose we'll find out soon enough._" Tetsunosuke's mental voice sighed, in dismay. He'd hoped that the late Shinsengumi could have found some clues on Saito's whereabouts, but it seemed that there were none.

"_Saito-san, where have you disappeared to?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, smiling slightly when Kenshin gave him a concerned look.

"You've gotten quiet all of a sudden, Tetsu-kun." Kenshin murmured, as they walked along the riverside with Kaoru and the two boys ahead of them.

"Just thinking, Kenshin. That's all…..I'm also wondering where all of the remaining Shinsengumi are now….How they're doing." Tetsunosuke replied, looking up when Kaoru called out to them.

"Why are you two walking so slowly? The sun will set us on fire if we don't hurry." Kaoru urged, getting a soft chuckle from Tetsunosuke and a faint smile from Kenshin for that.

"_What am I so worried about? I finally have a place to call home again. I'll just leave tomorrow to its' own devices, and the past where it is._" Tetsunosuke mused, smiling again when Megumi appeared on the path and Kaoru's hackles were raised. Little did he, or any of his companions realize just what sort of trials lay before them……

………………………….

All was silent as the group made its' way into the dojo keep; yet right away, Kenshin and Tetsunosuke noticed something was very wrong. For one thing, there was a large hole to the left of the main door…..and it was large enough for a man to have passed through. Another thing that made their blood run cold was a scent they had both become accustomed to in the bloody days of the Bakumatsu.

"_The scent of blood_….." Tetsunosuke's and Kenshin's minds yelped, as they rushed forward, opened the door, and beheld the carnage within. There lay Sanosuke on the floor of the dojo, in a puddle of his own blood; the broken blade of a sword sticking up at an awkward angle from his right shoulder.

"Sano!" Kenshin shouted, as Kaoru, Yahiko, Yutaro, and Megumi rushed to see what had happened. The next few moments rushed by in a whirlwind, as Megumi quickly took command of the situation and started treating Sanosuke's wound. With grim looks on their faces, Tetsunosuke and Kenshin gathered up the clues they had; a medicine box, the blade that had been left in Sanosuke's shoulder, the force that had left it there, and blown the hole in the wall.

"There's only one man that I know of that could have done this….." Tetsunosuke muttered, as Kenshin gave him a look and nodded.

"Aa. And neither of us had suspected that he'd survived." Kenshin murmured, grimly, as he turned and glared out into the night with amber-flecked eyes.

"_Saito Hajime, Captain of the Third Shinsengumi Unit_….._is still alive._" Tetsunosuke mused, his eyes narrowing and an icy feeling settling in the base of his heart; foreboding weighing heavily in his mind………

Author's Note!

I am so sorry about the wait! Going to try and get the next chapter out soon, so sit tight!

Gemini14


	9. Hints of Danger and Darkness

Chapter Nine: Hints of Danger and Darkness

Tetsunosuke sighed as he began another restless patrol of the dojo grounds. It had been three days since the mysterious attack on Sanosuke; and he still showed no sign of waking.

"_The wound itself was deep, but none of the vital organs were damaged._" Megumi had said, in an effort to reassure the worried group.

"_Still_..._I just can't figure out why Saito-san would do such a thing. He would never have struck an unarmed opponent down ten years ago! It just wasn't his way!_" Tetsunosuke mused, as he warily made his way to the training hall where Sano had been found. He could sense that Kenshin was just as confused and angered by this as he was; if not even moreso.

"Tetsu-kun, can sessha have a word with you?" Kenshin's voice asked, from within the building. Tetsunosuke shuddered a little bit as the tone Kenshin had used sent a chill down his spine, but nodded and wordlessly entered the hall. Himura Kenshin cut an eerie figure in the almost completely dark training hall, thanks to his now amber-hued eyes, and the dim light of the candle near him.

"Have a seat." Kenshin invited, as he motioned to the floor beside him with a wave of his free hand (the other was draped across his knee, the arm casually supporting the sheathed sakabatou against his shoulder).

"Kenshin, do you have the same suspicions as I do about this?" Tetsunosuke asked, as he sat down beside the strangely serious elder rurouni. Kenshin nodded.

"Aa. Only Hajime Saito could have done this to Sano. We both know that the Shinsengumi had used medicine boxes like the one we found outside for disguise, and saw the trademark signs of a hirastuki... and that it'd had the added power of the 'Gatotsu' that he was so proficient at." Kenshin murmured, as Tetsunosuke sighed and leaned his head back against the wall behind them.

"I didn't think he was even still alive until three days ago...What do you think this means?" Tetsunosuke asked, as he directed a troubled gaze at the ceiling.

"Sessha doesn't know...It could be to settle old accounts...or something entirely different. Sessha wishes he knew." Kenshin muttered, as he stood and, in a lightning fast movement, whipped his sakabatou out. It impacted with the wall on the other side of the door, just opposite where the hole Sanosuke's body had made was.

"His sword shows no deterioration...it's exactly the same as it was when I was in the Shinsengumi." Tetsunosuke stated, lapsing into thoughtful silence when Kenshin nodded gravely.

"_And yet, with this Sakabatou, and the vow not to kill_..._Can he even be defeated?_" Kenshin wondered, as a chill wind moaned through the empty Tokyo streets beyond the dojo; the sound of it reminding all of those within the dojo's walls that not all of the Bakumatsu's ghosts had been laid to rest yet...As they were about to find out...

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

There was a feeling of dread the next day when a letter came to the dojo for Kenshin. Tetsunosuke could tell, just by the expression on Kenshin's face, that he was being called to a solitary meeting with the other ex-Shinsengumi.

"Sure you don't want me to go with you, Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, getting a grim nod from the elder rurouni as an answer.

"Sessha doesn't want you to get involved, Tetsu-kun. But...if sessha doesn't return until late, protect the dojo." Kenshin said, relieved when the younger rurouni wordlessly agreed.

"Ne, Kenshin! Kaoru wants you to go and get some tofu!" Yahiko shouted, as he waved the basket over his head to prove his point.

"I'll go and get the tofu, Yahiko-kun." Tetsunosuke volunteered; giving Kenshin the opportunity to stuff the letter into his sleeve before the boy could see it.

"You sure? It's Kenshin's turn to get it, isn't it?" Yahiko asked, confused by this turn of events, for some reason.

"Gomen, Yahiko. But there's an errand sessha has to run that might take a while. Be sure to lock up tonight." Kenshin added, as he quickly left. Tetsunosuke followed not too long after with the tofu basket in hand; leaving Yahiko in the dojo courtyard with an uneasy feeling taking up residence in his gut.

"_Something's bothering the both of them_..._But what is it?_" Yahiko wondered; not realizing that Yutaro was thinking basically the same thing as he also watched the two leave.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It was early in the evening by the time Tetsunosuke found himself returning to the dojo. He grumbled irritably to himself as he walked along; haggling for lower prices on tofu wasn't exactly his idea of fun, and he was beginning to understand why his brother had been so cranky most of the time.

"_Next time_..._errand or no, __Kenshin__ is getting the tofu! I just about strangled that guy back there!_" Tetsunosuke thought, growling mentally at the obnoxious way in which the vender had acted towards him.

"Sessha can see that you have had a hard time as well, Tetsu-kun." Kenshin's weary voice greeted, as the elder rurouni joined him on the path that led home.

"Indeed. So, did you knock Saito-san senseless?" Tetsunosuke asked, almost jokingly; his slight smile fading when an apprehensive look crossed Kenshin's boyish features.

"Saito wasn't even there. The letter was used as bait to draw sessha out, and an assassin was waiting at the place indicated, instead. Sessha has a really bad feeling about this, de gozaru." Kenshin murmured, uneasily.

"Then let's hurry. With Sano still unconscious, and the both of us out here, Kaoru-san and the two boys are unprotected." Tetsunosuke stated, as he took off running. Within moments, both rurouni were going as fast as their feet could carry them; worry and fear for their companions' safety giving them even more energy than they had thought possible.

"_Please, Saito-san_..._If you're there, please don't hurt them!_" Tetsunosuke silently pleaded, as they raced the setting sun, and the time that was now quickly slipping away...

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kaoru looked up when she heard the sounds of running feet, and smiled when she saw Kenshin and Tetsunosuke rushing down the path towards her; the smile fading when she saw the anxiety on their faces.

"Kenshin! Tetsu! Are you two okay?" Kaoru asked, as the two men skidded to a halt in front of her.

"Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said, breathlessly; relieved beyond words that she seemed to be unharmed.

"Kenshin, I was told we shouldn't go out for a while, and that your life's in danger." Kaoru stated, as unnerved glances were exchanged between the two men before her.

"_Could we have been right?.!_" both rurouni wondered, as Kaoru led the way back within the dojo gates.

"Where did you hear that, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin questioned.

"From the police. The chief sent us one of his men, Lieutenant Fujita Goro." Kaoru replied, as they entered the training hall...and a jolt of recognition went down the spines of both men.

"Well. It seems you had some trouble with Akamatsu, Battousai." the man in that sat front of them said, as he turned to face them with a sneer, "You're not what you were, are you?"

"S-saito-san..." Tetsunosuke muttered, in complete disbelief. The older Wolf of Mibu's eyes seemed to widen slightly when he saw Tetsunosuke standing beside Kenshin; but hid his surprise effortlessly.

"So. You have survived as well, Ichimura." Saito stated, as he took in what the past ten years had done to the younger Wolf; his red-brown eyes were a little bit narrower, and his face wasn't as childlike...he was also a bit taller, as well, almost matching Kenshin's height exactly. Tetsunosuke could only nod numbly in answer, before he could think of anything to say.

"You as well, Saito-san." Tetsunosuke murmured; relieved that the Third Unit Captain was still within the land of the living, but also very unnerved by the changes he could see had occurred. He suppressed a shudder as Saito's now-feral amber eyes met his, and seemed to delve deep within his soul; almost as though he were reading his mind. Then Saito returned his attention to Kenshin.

"In fact, the last time we fought was on the battlegrounds of Toba-Fushimi...so that makes it about ten years." Saito said, as he stood effortlessly.

"Tetsu, is that...?" Yutaro asked, breaking his unusually long silence. Tetsunosuke nodded.

"Hai. This is the leader of the Third Unit of the Shinsengumi, Hajime Saito." Tetsunosuke answered, as shocked expressions crossed the faces of the two students of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, and that of their teacher as well.

"Then he's the one after Kenshin!" Yahiko yelped, as both rurouni nodded.

"Ten years...when said, it's only two words. But to live it is another matter entirely." Saito mused aloud, ignoring the comments that were being made about him, as he smiled devilishly at the quartet before him.

"Aa. It seems just long enough to make a man rot." Kenshin muttered, angrily, before adding, "Udo Jine was crazy to begin with...but that wasn't you. There were twists to you that couldn't be fathomed. But in battle, you were honorable and came straight at your opponent."

"What Kenshin says is indeed the truth, Saito-san. Hurting your enemy by hurting his friend, using another warrior as bait, and taking hostages were never tricks you'd used in the past. The Saito Hajime I had known ten years ago was a true man, not a coward." Tetsunosuke growled; as he boldly glared into the former Shinsengumi captain's eyes, only to be taken aback when Saito actually started laughing at them.

"What's so funny?.!" Yutaro asked, angrily.

"Yeah! What're you laughing at?.!.?" Yahiko added; equally as upset.

"After such words as those, how could I not laugh?" Saito replied, then turned a vaguely angry gaze onto the two rurouni, "I figured their swords had gone dull, but I never expected their heads to have done the same!"

"What?" Kaoru questioned; her tone just about as angry as it had been when Raijuta had denounced Yutaro as his apprentice.

"Akamatsu...as bait? Don't be stupid. A worm would have made better bait! We, of the Shinsengumi, who fought the Hitokiri Battousai...We know his strength better than anyone. Isn't that so, Ichimura Tetsunosuke?" Saito in turn asked, but got no agreement from the younger rurouni. In fact, the younger man only continued to glare at him; fingering his swords as he did so, and showing that he didn't trust the former captain any father than he could throw him.

"_Siding with the enemy now, eh? Feh_..." Saito mentally snorted, before saying, "Yet, to know that you struggled against Akamatsu, Battousai, only shows that your rurouni refusal to kill has clearly made you weak."

"Kenshin...?" Kaoru muttered.

"Weak...?" Yutaro and Yahiko finished, in unison. They turned to the two rurouni, only finding the usual unruffled calm in Kenshin, and an unusual cold composure settling onto Tetsunosuke.

"It's enough to have a rurouni's strength to protect those who require it. A hitokiri's strength to kill isn't needed." Kenshin replied. Saito snorted in contempt at that.

"'A rurouni's strength' eh? If that's so, then you and Tetsu both are failures. While you were both out, I was here the whole time. Since I am a policeman, they never suspected a thing." Saito snarled, then added, to Tetsunosuke's rising fury, "If I'd wanted to kill them, I could have done it at any time."

"You've become the very evil we hunted in the alleys of Kyoto, Saito." Tetsunosuke growled, his reddish eyes deepening in hue till they were almost the color of blood.

"Hold your tongue, boy. I am not finished." Saito snapped, then said, "Unused strength is the same as none. Your hypocrisy only fills my belly with disgust. Drowning in self-satisfaction and phony righteousness...I thought the Battousai would see this for what it is, so I sent Akamatsu...but, as you put it, ten years is indeed long enough to make a man rot. How can Hitokiri Battousai protect people without killing? Aku Soku Zan...that was the code of justice common to both the Shinsengumi, and the hitokiri. I can't stand seeing either of you like this, not any more."

"No matter what you say, Saito, Sessha refuses to take any more life." Kenshin replied, firmly.

"And I stand by his decision as well, Saito. I may not be able to spare every life that comes to take mine, but I will spare as many as I can...I'd rather live following Himura Kenshin's example, than die upon the blade of my own sword." Tetsunosuke stubbornly said, his words hinting at what had been the fate of so many of his comrades in the Shinsengumi...especially Yamanami.

"Is that so? Then come...I will deny everything that you are." Saito snarled, as he lowered himself into a low hirastuki stance, and prepared to attack the two rurouni.

"_This fight is not going to be easy_..._Not by a long shot_..." Tetsunosuke mused, as he moved off to one side, and unsheathed both of his katana; not really wanting to fight his old comrade, but knowing the unnerving fact that he had no choice.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Finally! A new chapter! At long last! I am terribly sorry about the long wait, but fate has not been kind in the past year (loss of job, internet access, AND home have hampered the progress of this and my other stories. The fight between the three is coming up, so hang tight till the next chapter, okay?**_

_**Gemini14**_


	10. Ghosts of the Revolution

Chapter Ten: Ghosts of the Revolution

For a few, long moments, Kenshin and Tetsunosuke stood frozen before the waiting Hajime Saito.

"What's wrong, you two? Are you just going to stand there and let the girl get caught in the Gatotsu?" Saito questioned; getting a soft growl from Tetsunosuke from his right, and a silent stare from Kenshin for the comment. Without saying a word, Kenshin started to move forward, but was prevented from doing so when Kaoru gently grabbed the sleeve of his gi to stop him.

"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin murmured, understanding what the girl wanted to say when he saw he uncertain look.

"It'll be fine, right?" Kaoru quietly asked, as she gave both rurouni a concerned glance.

"Either way, Kaoru-san, it's life he's after...The fight can't be avoided." Tetsunosuke stated, calmly.

"Still...either way...it somehow feels...as though you two won't be here with us, after this." Kaoru said, getting calm smiles from both of the men for that.

"_For some reason, I feel the same way, Kaoru-san._" Tetsunosuke agreed, as he put aside his foreboding, and braced himself for the coming fight.

"Come." Saito ordered, getting glares from both rurouni.

"Aren't you the challenger?" Kenshin asked. Saito snorted in contempt, then returned to his Gatotsu stance.

"Fair enough...I'LL BEGIN!!" Saito shouted, as he charged at Kenshin first, then swiped at Tetsunosuke when the younger Wolf attacked from the side. With a deft leap, Tetsunosuke dodged Saito's slash, then crossed his two blades in front of his face; forming a steel 'X' in front of him.

"Nibai Okami Kiba!" Tetsunosuke howled, snarling when his blades met those of Saito's.

"_He's become quite strong in the past ten years_..._But not strong enough._" Saito mused, as he freed his katana from Tetsu's twin blades, and slashed him across the chest.

"Tetsu!" Kaoru, Yahiko, and Yutaro shouted, alarmed when they saw blood gush from the younger rurouni's chest.

"D-don't worry about me! Stay where you are!" Tetsunosuke shouted, when it seemed to him that the two boys were about to rush to his side. He turned when he heard the sound of steel sinking into flesh, and heard Kaoru's horrified cry when Saito's Gatotsu Zero-Shiki connected with Kenshin's side; pinning Kenshin to the wall. With rage taking over reason, Tetsunosuke got to his feet again, sheathed one of his katana, and prepared to launch one of his other attacks.

"You turned your waist to avoid the point...A quicker reaction than expected. Still...Not good enough!" Saito snarled, as he freed his katana from Kenshin's abdomen, gashed the smaller man's chest, and kicked him from midair as he fell. The older rurouni hit the floor hard, skidded a little ways before stopping, and struggled into a kneeling position.

"Saito..." Tetsunosuke growled, "Don't forget about this 'worthless rurouni' either." Saito had no sooner turned when he saw a red blur heading his way, and felt the tip of a katana sink into his waist.

"You..." Saito growled, his amber eyes narrowing in fury when he saw the look in Tetsunosuke's now blood-red gaze.

"Yes. I realize that fighting like this, against you, ten years ago, would have meant seppuku...But we are no longer in the Shinsengumi. My life is mine to live as I please...And the choice is mine to give it however I wish. I can protect people now, that I wouldn't have been able to before...Thanks to the strength the Shinsengumi gave me...and the horrible tragedies that I saw happen within their ranks. I've just found something to live for again, after so long...and I am not going to let you take it from me." Tetsunosuke murmured, as he gave Kaoru and both boys a meaningful look, and as the former Third Unit Captain snarled at his audacity.

"You wouldn't deserve seppuku, even if you asked for it. I'll just kill you here and now, like the traitorous dog you are." Saito said, then forcefully knocked Tetsunosuke back away from him, removed the younger wolf's sword from his side, and flew into a Gatotsu that would have ended his life, were it not for Kenshin returning to the fight before it could land. The loud sound of metal striking metal filled the dojo; muffling the sound of Tetsunosuke's impact with one of the walls.

"Useless effort!" Saito roared, then knocked Kenshin into the same wall.

"_So strong_..._Stronger than I remember_..." Tetsunosuke thought, blearily turning his head when he heard Kenshin land next to him.

"Tetsu-kun." Kenshin said, quietly, not even turning his head to look at him as he spoke.

"What?" Tetsunosuke asked, foggily.

"Leave the rest to me." Kenshin said, then added, "Stay out of this, from here on out."

"Okay." Tetsunosuke softly agreed, wincing a little when his back protested against any movement, and when Kaoru shouted their names in alarm, and rushed over.

"Tetsu! Kenshin!" Kaoru cried, as she got closer; yet paused when she noticed what Tetsunosuke had missed because of his dazed condition; Kenshin's eyes had changed color again.

"_Amber eyes_..." Kaoru thought, before Saito's voice brought her out of her musings.

"Move, little girl." Saito demanded, glaring at her when she turned to him and stubbornly stood her ground, "Get out of the way." With a shake of her head, Kaoru continued to silently stare Saito down...until a hand gripped her shoulder.

"Kaoru-dono...see if you can move Tetsu-kun." Kenshin whispered, then gave Saito a cold glare, "Let's go."

"Kenshin..." Kaoru muttered, as she watched the other rurouni move to stand in front of Saito. Then she returned her attention to Tetsunosuke. The younger rurouni still looked a little woozy from having been knocked into a wall at full speed, but appeared to be aware enough to allow her to help him get to his feet. They both looked up when they heard Kenshin charge at Saito, and were as amazed by the increase in speed as Saito appeared to be.

"_He's gotten faster_..." Saito thought, as he launched another Gatotsu...only to have Kenshin disappear right before his eyes.

"_Gone?.!_" Saito added, before the flash of a blade forced him to look down and kick Kenshin away from him in almost a panic.

"What's the matter, Saito? Did he get a little too close for comfort?" Tetsunosuke asked, jokingly, as Kaoru gave him a disbelieving look. Kenshin was fighting for his life, and here he was, taunting the man who was threatening it?.!

"_What is he_..." Kaoru's mind shouted, her outrage turning into bewilderment when she saw that Tetsunosuke's eyes had also changed. No longer was he the calm and sometimes haunted former Wolf of Mibu...now, he had almost the same look in his eye that Saito now had. The crimson eyes were now tinged with bright gold; almost like autumn leaves shining in sunlight.

"I don't need any input from you, Ichimura." Saito grumbled, as Kenshin got to his feet across from him, and gave him a look that would have even frozen a demon in it's tracks. Tetsunosuke shrugged, then removed himself from Kaoru's shoulder; nodding politely to her as he did so.

"_Tetsu?_" Kaoru wondered, when she saw that there had been no recognition in the younger man's eyes.

"_Could it be_..._? Could they have both reverted to their true selves?_" Saito mused, then added, "_As the Battousai battles me, he reenters his soul of ten years ago_..._he becomes who he had been. And Tetsunosuke is acting as he had back then, as well_..._As the Shinsengumi's 'Peacemaker'_..."

"There's only one way to determine whether or not the Battousai has returned... use the true Gatotsu. From here on out, there is no holding back!" Saito murmured, as he readjusted his stance, then shot a warning glance at Tetsunosuke.

"Don't stand in my way, Peacemaker." Saito warned.

"You've already knocked the shit out of me, Saito...I'm barely standing on my own, as it is." Tetsunosuke replied, grimacing as he braced himself with one arm as he bent to retrieve his fallen sword. Saito smirked at that, then said nothing more as he prepared to send the perfected version of his attack at the man that now stood before him. As the other ex-Shinsengumi unleashed his attack on Kenshin again, Kaoru could only stare at Tetsunosuke. The man that now stood beside her wasn't the Ichimura Tetsunosuke that she had come to know; this man was strong and self-assured, despite the wounds Saito had given him earlier in the fight. There was even a certain amount of cunning in his bright red eyes that had not been there before.

"_No two ways about it_..._This isn't the same Tetsunosuke Kenshin and I had found that night. Who on earth __was__ the Peacemaker, anyway?_" Kaoru wondered, snapping to attention when she heard Saito go through a wall with a tremendous crash.

"Damn! He turned as he dodged...filling his blow with centrifugal force!" Yutaro shouted, amazed by the prowess that he'd just seen.

"Got that right. I can only say that I am glad it isn't me facing that man right now." Tetsunosuke added, sounding honestly relieved about that.

"Why do you say that?" Kaoru asked.

"Lady, I wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell against Kyoto's worst nightmare." Tetsunosuke amended, honestly.

"However strong Gatotsu may be, when it's shown four times in a few minutes, any idiot can come up with a few ways to counter it." Kenshin said, the hard edge in his voice signaling that he too was in a completely different mindset, "Get up Saito. A ten-year duel can't end this quietly." He was answered by some chuckling from Saito, as he slowly made his way back into the training hall.

"My orders are to evaluate your strength...But I don't care about them now...I will now kill you." Saito growled, as blood dripped down his face from an injury to his forehead, and from the corners of his mouth.

"Quit posing. You know I'm the one who will kill you." Battousai softly retorted, as a chill traveled down Kaoru's spine, and as her legs collapsed out from under her.

"Stop...Someone stop them...or the Kenshin we know will be gone!" Kaoru muttered, then silently added, "_And the Tetsunosuke we've come to know as well!_"

"Somebody stop them!" Kaoru screamed, tearfully, her words suddenly spurring the man at her side into action.

"Tetsu!.?" Yutaro and Yahiko yelped, as the other rurouni left Kaoru's side.

"_What have I_..._Why was I just __standing__ there?.! I've got to try and stop this! If I don't, then Saito-san and Kenshin will both die!_" Tetsunosuke thought, as the shriek of steel on steel again sounded within the dojo.

"What?.?.!" Battousai and Saito snarled, as Tetsunosuke got inbetween them, and held them apart with his swords.

"Get out of the way, Page of Hijikata Toshizo. You have no place in this fight." Battousai growled, as his enraged amber gaze pierced through the younger swordsman's already injured frame.

"Move aside, unless you want to be branded as a traitor and share in Yamanami's fate." Saito threatened, in a tone that chilled and burned Tetsunosuke right to his core.

"_Hang on, Tetsu! Help is coming! Just hang on!_" Okita's voice shouted, in the back of Tetsunosuke's mind.

"_I certainly hope so, Okita-san_..._I can't hold them off for too much longer!_" Tetsunosuke replied, uttering a strangled cry when he felt his arms give out from under all the pressure that was being put on them, and both fighters threw him to the side and continued their duel; not even giving him a second glance as they did so.

"_Sorry, Okita-san. I couldn't hold them_..." Tetsunosuke thought, as he struggled to get back to where she was standing.

"Tetsu..." Kaoru murmured, tearfully.

"G-gomen. I couldn't..." Tetsunosuke managed, from between gasps.

"Are you back to your usual self again, Tetsu?" Yutaro asked, worriedly. The other rurouni nodded.

"I think so...but I still don't know what had caused it..." Tetsunosuke replied.

"Whoa...Kenshin looks out of his mind!" Yahiko muttered, as he stared at the now-amber-eyed man in disbelief.

"You're wrong! That's not Kenshin! That's Hitokiri Battousai!" Kaoru shouted, as confusion appeared on Yahiko's face, and as disbelief showed itself on Yutaro's.

"He's Battousai again!" Kaoru screamed, as she grabbed Yahiko by his shoulders and shook him.

"I don't get it..." Yahiko said, confusedly.

"His mind's reverted to who he was before he started wandering." Tetsunosuke murmured, then added, "Just as my own mind had done, a little bit ago."

"What brought you back, Tetsu?" Yutaro questioned; hoping to find an answer so they could bring Kenshin out of his madness.

"Kaoru-san's voice, and her words, brought me back to the here and now...But I don't think it'll work for Kenshin." Tetsunosuke replied, startled when another voice agreed with him.

"Yeah...That ain't gonna happen so easily." Sanosuke said, as he and Megumi entered the dojo; the street fighter leaning heavily on the female doctor's shoulder as he walked.

"Sanosuke!" the four yelped, surprised to see him finally conscious.

"We can't stop those two. Kenshin and his foe...they're back in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu...not Tokyo in Meiji. Our voices won't reach them, no matter how loud we call." Sanosuke stated, grimly.

"The only one who can stop this fight is someone who lived through the Bakumatsu...Someone who had experienced the havoc in Kyoto." Tetsunosuke added, as he placed a hand to his bleeding chest and grimaced.

"What about you, Tetsu? Can't you do it?" Yahiko asked. Tetsunosuke shook his head.

"My voice has changed too much in the ten years since the end of the Bakumatsu. Even Saito wouldn't recognize it as being my own, now." Tetsunosuke said, then added, "And Kenshin wouldn't have had the opportunity to have met me when I was younger, so he wouldn't know my voice at all, in this state."

"He's using Gatotsu again!" Yutaro shouted, as the taller warrior charged at Kenshin again.

"The Shinsengumi never did know when to withdraw." Battousai muttered, irritably. Saito uttered a real growl under his breath, before replying.

"The first rule of the Shinsengumi...'Act in a manner befitting a samurai'!" Saito snarled, "Fleeing an enemy proves your lack of determination!" With barely even a batted eyelash, Kenshin knocked the sword from Saito's hands with his left fist.

"With his bare hands!" Megumi yelped, shocked at this development.

"If he used his sword, he'd create an avenue for attack." Sanosuke quietly noted.

"You seem to know quite a bit about this, Sano." Tetsunosuke said, getting a very slight shrug from the ex-street brawler in answer to it.

"I'd seen a few swordfights while traveling with the Sekihoutai, so I know what to expect." Sanosuke replied, his tone far more subdued than what his friends were used to hearing.

"So, you choose your pride as Shinsengumi over your life. Works for me." Battousai intoned, as he swept his sword downwards in an attempt to dispatch Saito, only to have it knocked from his own hand with the belt from his opponent's uniform!

"I have you!" Saito roared, as he let loose some lightning fast punches that had Kenshin gagging up blood in seconds.

"Ken-san!" Megumi cried, horrified by what was going on in front of her.

"He's got no chance without a sword!" Sanosuke shouted, gritting his teeth when the maddened police officer removed his jacket, and wrapped it around Kenshin's neck.

"_Damn!_" Tetsunosuke mentally growled, as he struggled unsuccessfully to get back to his feet.

"This is the end!" Saito growled, as he hefted Kenshin above his head, and started tightening his grip on the cloth noose.

"He's going to strangle him to death!" Yahiko shouted, in alarm.

"No...Nothing so passive...He's trying to break his neck." Tetsunosuke muttered, "_And I can do nothing to stop it_..." They were all surprised, yet again, when Kenshin somehow freed himself from Saito's deathgrip, and they both stood panting in front of one another before they flew towards each other again.

"STOP THIS!!" an authoritative voice shouted, startling all who were within the building into looking at the now-open door at the speaker.

"Snap out of it, Saito! Your mission was to evaluate Battousai's strength!" the stranger continued, his words having the desired effect on the two fighters as they skidded to a halt, and directed their glares towards him.

"This is what I have lived for. I cannot allow even the super-intendant-general to interfere." Saito growled, with a smirk that showed he was starting to return to his senses.

"I know very well of your pride as Shinsengumi, but I don't want you or Himura to waste your lives here." another voice murmured, as its' owner entered the dojo.

"...I see, so you are the one behind Saito Hajime...Former warrior of the Satsuma prefecture, now Chief of Internal Affairs for the Meiji government, Okubo Toshimichi." Battousai added, as looks of confusion and surprise came from all of those within the building.

"I'm sorry to resort to such crude methods...but we had to know the extent of your abilities." Okubo murmured, apologetically, then asked, "Will you talk with me?"

"Sure. I'd like nothing better." Battousai agreed, coolly.

"Feh. The best duel I've had in years, and suddenly it's a conversation." Saito grumbled, irritably, as he picked up his coat again, and slung it over his shoulder. Before he walked out, however, he did one thing that mystified Kaoru and the rest; he offered a hand to the downed Tetsunosuke, and helped him get to his feet.

"We'll have to wait for another opportunity to duel." Saito muttered.

"You're lucky." Battousai growled, to the retreating man's back. Saito paused, looked over his shoulder, and smirked back at him.

"You are!" Saito retorted, then continued walking.

"Saito! Mission report!" the super-intendant-general demanded.

"Himura Kenshin is useless...But Himura Battousai may still have something to offer." Saito murmured, before he walked out into the night; disappearing into the shadows once again.

"That man...He's the best spy in the police force...but I never know what he's thinking." the super-intendant general muttered, as he watched the Wolf go.

"And you never will. He's as much an enigma now, as he was when he was the captain of the Third Unit." Tetsunosuke said, still looking in the direction Saito had gone with confusion on his youthful features. Then he sighed and shook his head. Even if he understood the meaning behind Saito's actions this evening, it still wouldn't make the older Wolf's motives any clearer.

"_As Tou-san used to say_..._Let sleeping dogs lie_." Tetsunosuke mused, as he turned to look at the man that had just arrived. Okubo returned his and Battousai's gazes evenly.

"I have a carriage waiting outside. Come with us." Okubo offered, getting a stubborn refusal from Kenshin as his answer.

"Not a chance. I'm not alone in this." Battousai replied, his own words seeming to make him realize something as his eyes widened, and he stiffened a little bit.

"Kenshin?" they all asked, before he roughly punched himself in the forehead.

"This incident has already involved...sessha's friends. You will talk with us all here." Kenshin demanded, as he looked at Okubo again; his eyes their usual purple hue once more. Tetsunosuke chuckled when Kaoru ecstatically grabbed Kenshin from behind in what could only be called a 'flying tackle', only to have Kenshin pass out with a pained 'Oro' in her arms.

"_Such is life in this dojo_..." Tetsunosuke thought, as he gave the group a bemused look, then limped over to Megumi so he could also have his own wounds looked at.

"Okubo-sama?" the super-intendant general asked, as he gave the higher-ranking man an uncertain look. Okubo nodded.

"We'll do as he says. We need Himura's strength right now..." Okubo murmured, the amusing scene seeming to not reach him as his thoughts turned to a darker, more dangerous subject...

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

When all of the wounds had been properly tended to, they all found themselves seated in front of Okubo.

"I won't waste any time with discretion, so I will tell you straight out. Himura...In Kyoto, Shishio plots again." Okubo murmured, gravely. Immediately, alarm bells began to sound within Tetsunosuke's mind. And he noticed when Kenshin's posture stiffened as well.

"That's straight out?.! Who the hell's Shishio?.!" Sanosuke asked, impatiently.

"Hey! Watch your mouth!" the super-intendant general snapped, angrily.

"Shishio Makoto. Once sessha emerged from the shadows to fight as a free-striking swordsman against the Shinsengumi and its' allies, Shishio Makoto, another Choshu revolutionary, lived the role of Hitokiri of the Shadows.' In other words, he's the successor to 'Hitokiri Battousai'." Kenshin explained, somberly. Kaoru, Sanosuke, Megumi, Yahiko and Yutaro all stared at Kenshin in shock; Battousai's successor?.!

"We've never heard of him!" Kaoru said, voicing her confusion and that of her companions.

"And there were very vague rumors that were going around at the time when I was in the Shinsengumi." Tetsunosuke murmured, thoughtfully.

"Aa. He worked in the shadows and is almost completely unknown. Even sessha had no direct contact with him...But how could this be? Sessha had heard that Shishio died in the Boshin War ten years ago." Kenshin said, as he gave Okubo and the lower-ranking man a scrutinizing look. A look that the other two men could not meet.

"So, he didn't die, after all. He was erased by his comrades." Tetsunosuke stated, quietly, then added, "A man whose life is a dark secret can be made to disappear into even greater darkness for the good of everyone. It wasn't that hard for either side to do that, during that chaotic age."

"We had...no choice at the time. Shishio Makoto's skill at the sword was as great as yours' Himura. But he also had ambitions and greed beyond imagination. His reason for taking on the task of hitokiri was only to let the revolutionary officers feel his power and presence...completely unlike you, who only wished to fight for your comrades, and for the weak. Some of the assassinations Shishio committed can never be revealed...to do so would turn the Meiji government on its' head. If we'd entered the new age with Shishio alive, he could use that vulnerability to get his hands around this nation's throat." Okubo grimly explained.

"An Achilles Heel, in other words...a weakness only someone with an evil mind would exploit." Tetsunosuke mused aloud, getting a nod from the government official for that.

"So he was killed in the chaos of the Boshin War...wasn't he?" Kenshin questioned.

"Yes. We killed him...or so we thought. We even had oil poured on him and the body burned...But even with his body engulfed in flames, Shishio Makoto survived. And now, he's gathered many battle-mongers who crave blood and flesh, and weapon-merchants who hate the peaceful times; creating a powerful army of soldiers. He's made the dark streets of Kyoto his base, plotting to trigger a war of vengeance that would split this country in two. And it would be split with the secrets of his assassinations...The many troops we had sent to deal with him have all been annihilated. You are our last hope, Himura. Please, for the people of this country, got to Kyoto once again." Okubo pleaded. For a few, long moments, silence reigned, then Kaoru spoke up.

"Does that mean you want...Kenshin to assassinate Shishio Makoto?" Kaoru asked, meekly.

"To put it bluntly, yes." Okubo replied, quietly. This got a number of angry responses from a few of those in the room, (namely Sanosuke and Megumi), but a much calmer response from Yahiko.

"All this talk about Meiji and government...Guess this kid doesn't understand...But I do get that if things had been different, Kenshin would've been the one being erased." Yahiko stated, intelligently.

"Well said, Yahiko-kun." Tetsunosuke agreed, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that that would have happened, had things turned out differently.

"Okubo-sama, I understand that you need 'Hitokiri Battousai' to help you, but Kenshin is no longer a hitokiri. We will never allow Kenshin to leave for Kyoto." Kaoru said, boldly.

"Idiots! Don't you realize how serious this...!" the lower-ranking man shouted, before Okubo called him down.

"Stop, Kawaji." Okubo ordered.

"Okubo-sama?" Kawaji asked, bewildered by his superior's actions to no end.

"We can't expect an answer to such a situation right away." Okubo murmured, then looked at Kenshin, "Please think about it over the week, Himura. A week from now, on the Western 'May 14th' I will return to hear your answer." Okubo said, as he put his coat back on, and prepared to leave.

"Okubo-san..." Kenshin called. Okubo paused and looked back at him.

"You've lost weight, these past ten years." Kenshin murmured, a bit concernedly. Okubo only gave him a wan smile before answering.

"To build a new era...is more difficult than to destroy an old one. Sad but true." Okubo stated, tiredly.

"I'm inclined to believe it, Okubo-sama." Tetsunosuke said, as he watched the official walk towards the door.

"I'll anticipate a favorable reply." Okubo said, before stepping into the darkness...never to return.


	11. Drifting Away

Chapter Eleven: Drifting Away

It had been a week, since the unexpected visit of Okubo Toshimichi to the dojo, and life had seemingly resumed its' peaceful flow. Tetsunosuke watched as Kenshin did the laundry; snickering softly when Sanosuke kicked him into the tub.

"This is no time to be doing laundry! What're you going to say?" Sanosuke asked, irritably, before continuing, "I know you probably won't, but I'm still afraid you're going to listen to Okubo."

"I also feel that way, Sano...and yet, worrying will get us nowhere." Tetsunosuke murmured.

"You're right about that, Tetsu. But I've got a bad feeling about this...Something smells bad. If the government itself stinks, don't expect the man at the top to smell like flowers." Sanosuke growled; suspicion laced into every word.

"You truly hate the government from the bottom of your heart, don't you, Sano?" Kenshin asked, with an uneasy smile. Sanosuke growled and shoved the elder rurouni back into the tub with his foot.

"Shouldn't I? I'm Sekihoutai, remember?" Sanosuke grumbled, irritably. This got a muffled 'Of course' from Kenshin, before his head got shoved into the suds again.

"But if Okubo-sama is just another corrupt revolutionary, living for wealth and fame, wouldn't Saito have already slain him?" Kenshin questioned, when he'd managed to get out from under Sano's foot, and gave his companions a somber look.

"That crazy cop?.! You're joking!" Yutaro shouted.

"Yeah, he's just another government dog!" Yahiko agreed. Tetsunosuke shook his head, and gave the two boys a grave look.

"No. Before the fight, Saito spoke of justice. No dog would dare to use such strong words. 'Aku Soku Zan' was the code of justice common to both the Ishin Shishi, and the Shinsengumi. He's still a Wolf of Mibu, and his fangs still glow with 'Swift Death to Evil' in the darkness." Tetsunosuke stated, then silently added, "_And I would like to believe that mine still do, as well._"

"Aa...but it also means that he's not someone we'd be friends with." Kenshin muttered, as he climbed out of the tub with a sour look on his face.

"Duh!" Yahiko and Yutaro grumbled.

"You said it!" Sanosuke agreed, cracking his knuckles when he slammed one fist into the palm of the other hand.

"I hates him!" Kaoru snarled. Tetsunosuke chuckled and shook his head; he could almost hear Saito's sneezes from where he now stood. And yet, he could tell that Kenshin was still thinking about what he was going to say to Okubo...and what the decision would ultimately be.

"_I suddenly have the sinking feeling that this might be our last morning here._" Tetsunosuke mused, sadly; knowing that death could await both him and Kenshin in Kyoto, but still determined to carry through with his own choice.

"So then...The hanging up is left to you and Yutaro, Yahiko. Sessha is going to Okubo-sama's mansion." Kenshin stated, quietly.

"Why? He said he'd come here." Kaoru said, concernedly.

"Okubo-sama is a very busy person. It will be faster to go than to wait." Kenshin replied, turning when Megumi entered the dojo's yard.

"There you are! Ohayo gozaimasu Ken-san!" Megumi called, amiably.

"If it isn't the kitsune-onna. What're you after, so early in the morning?" Sanosuke asked, ignoring the chuckle-disguised-as-a-cough that came from Tetsunosuke in response to that remark.

"You do realize that you're speaking to the person who'd saved your life?" Megumi retorted, as she gave him an almost scathing look. Tetsunosuke hid a smile behind the hand that still covered his mouth; he knew where this sort of argument usually led, and only had to watch and wait for the fireworks to begin.

"What do you want, Megumi-san?" Kaoru questioned, curiously. The other woman laughed and smiled mischievously.

"_Uh-oh_..._This __can't__ be leading anywhere good!_" Tetsunosuke thought; a sweatdrop forming on the back of his head when Megumi began to explain herself.

"Today's the day for your reply, right? I brought something to help you decide!" Megumi brightly said, getting a confused 'Oro' from Kenshin before she slapped a collar around his neck, and Kaoru started shouting at her for being so outrageous.

"I am so glad my brother never met Megumi-san...otherwise, I'd probably be on a leash myself right now." Tetsunosuke muttered, his deadpan expression speaking volumes of what he thought of this turn of events.

"True enough..." Sanosuke agreed, as they both watched Kenshin remove the collar.

"Enough. Sessha is going." Kenshin said, firmly (yet with a hint of exasperation nevertheless)

"Do you even know where his mansion is?" Kaoru asked.

"No. But word has him in Akasaka today. If the route is way of Kioizaka, then intercepting him is likely." Kenshin replied, with his usual smile.

"Then we'll go with you!" Kaoru shouted, as the elder rurouni started to walk away.

"No. It will be a complicated conversation. Only Tetsu can come with sessha, this time." Kenshin stated, as a surprised expression appeared on the younger rurouni's face.

"Are you sure, Kenshin? Okubo had said that he'd only wanted you to go to Kyoto." Tetsunosuke said, quietly, as they left the dojo's grounds behind them.

"You had also survived the bloodshed in Kyoto over ten years ago, Tetsu, so you have more of a connection in this than they do." Kenshin answered, seriously.

"If that is indeed the case, then you must know that I will return to Kyoto as well...But I have a bad feeling about all this. There's more to it than even Okubo himself knows." Tetsunosuke said, getting a nod of agreement from Kenshin as a response. Little did they both realize that what was about to happen would force their hands, and make their decisions for them...

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

By the time the afternoon had rolled around, a whirlwind of events had already played out. Okubo Toshimichi, the Chief of Internal Affairs, had been assassinated, and the first 'meeting' with one of Shishio's men had already occurred. Tetsunosuke listened grimly as he, Kenshin, and Saito all met with Kawaji inside of Okubo's mansion.

"These are the methods of Shishio! He plants spies throughout the nation and uses their discoveries to commit heinous crimes like this! He never reveals himself, and he chisels away at the Meiji government until the day they revolt...Okubo-sama..." Kawaji angrily said, as tears of rage flowed freely down his face. He didn't even look up when another man entered the room behind him.

"Excuse me." the man said, softly.

"Yamayoshi-dono, the prefectural governor of Fukushima...and the last person to exchange words...with Okubo-sama." Kawaji murmured, as the man politely nodded to Kenshin, Saito and Tetsunosuke, then began his explanation.

"We'd just finished discussing the plans for Tokyo...I visited him this morning to say goodbye. I never expected anything like this to happen...We had been discussing the rate of growth in this new government for the country...the past ten years, were the years of 'creation'. The next ten will be the years of 'growth', when politics and ideas unite. And after that, the final ten, would be the years of 'maintenance', which would be left to the future...and the rebirth of Japan into a 'nation-state' would be complete." Yamayoshi stated, thoughtfully.

"A nation-state...in which citizens can choose their own paths, free of the oligarchy of Edo...or of Meiji, so far...A distant dream." Saito murmured, breaking his silence for the first time that afternoon.

"I agree with that, Saito-san." Tetsunosuke quietly agreed.

"But it was a conceivable dream...as long as Okubo-sama was with us." Kawaji whispered.

"Yet, I was curious about one thing. Okubo-sama, who was usually a man of few words, was unusually talkative this morning. I don't think he was expecting his own death...but he did believe that today, in some way, was an important one for the future of Japan." Yamayoshi said, before the three swordsmen quietly took their leave. As they walked down the hall towards the door that led to the street, Tetsunosuke could only sigh, and wish things could have been different.

"Kawaji-san was quite shaken." Kenshin murmured, breaking the tense silence that had fallen over them.

"He was originally discovered by Okubo. But Kawaji isn't the only one shaken. Now, the last of the 'Three Greatest Revolutionaries' is gone, and the government is in the hands of drones. It is now a certainty...chaos will engulf Japan." Saito muttered, darkly.

"And Shishio will not let this opportunity go." Tetsunosuke added, his soft voice almost lost even in the midst of their footsteps.

"_Time has begun_..._to flow once more._" Kenshin silently mused, as he and Tetsunosuke parted ways with Saito, and started on the trek back to the dojo. He never knew that Tetsunosuke's thoughts were along the same lines, nor that the younger rurouni's sense of foreboding was just as strong, if not stronger, than his own about all that had happened. But he was soon going to find out...

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Night had long since fallen, as Kaoru waited by the dojo's gate. Both Kenshin and Tetsunosuke were late in returning from wherever they had gone, since the news of Okubo's death had spread like wildfire; negating the need for the two rurouni to go to his mansion (or so they had thought, at first).

"_Kenshin_..._Tetsu_..._Where are you?_" Kaoru wondered, as she gazed in the direction Sanosuke and Megumi had gone, on their way to an emergency that had demanded Megumi's attention. She perked up, however, when an abrupt wind kicked up around her, and she turned to find at least Kenshin standing there; with a soft, sad smile on his youthful features.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted, joyfully; her happiness dissipating when she saw his expression.

"And Yahiko and Yutaro?" Kenshin asked, since he'd seen Megumi's and Sanosuke's sudden departure from a good distance away.

"Um...oh. They both got tired of waiting and went to sleep. You know how kids are..." Kaoru replied, a little nervously, then asked, "Where's Tetsu?" She got no immediate response from the suddenly somber rurouni.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru questioned, concernedly.

"Okubo-sama was murdered this morning." Kenshin said, changing the subject completely.

"Yes...we heard." Kaoru stated, her heart almost freezing when she heard his next statement.

"The real killers are Shishio and his men. They can't be allowed to run loose, Kaoru-dono, so...sessha is off to Kyoto." Kenshin said, as the wind picked up in fierceness, and howled through the street they were standing in.

"Shishio Makoto...will you assassinate him, then?" Kaoru asked, her face pale and her hands suddenly clammy.

"No...maybe so. If sessha can remain a rurouni...it will be enough to meet and talk with him...to defeat him, if needed. But if sessha becomes Battousai again, as in the battle against Saito..." Kenshin shook his head as his thought took a dark path, and tried to get back to what he really wanted to say.

"During the time spent here, it seemed that life as a normal swordsman was possible...Days were spent with peace in the heart...Sessha is certain that Tetsu feels that same way...But, as it was shown in the fight against Saito...deep inside of sessha's heart, the hitokiri still lives." Kenshin said, grimly, barely looking up when Kaoru grasped his shoulders and gave him an almost frantic look.

"But you can turn back! However close you get to Battousai, Kenshin is still Kenshin! It was the same during Jine and Saito! You'll be fine!" Kaoru cried, jumping when another voice interrupted her.

"This is different, Kaoru-san. Kenshin had told me of the previous incident. With Jine, the Battousai emerged in response to Kenshin's desire to save you, and departed once your voice was heard. But with Saito, Battousai emerged to fight him." Tetsunosuke stated, as he emerged from the shadows; his red-brown eyes showing a grave concern for all of his companions. Kenshin slowly nodded; silently agreeing with the younger rurouni in that.

"Your voice didn't reach, Kaoru-dono. So this is different...When we first met, you understood. Even after you found out about Hitokiri Battousai. 'I don't care about people's pasts' you'd said...and it was an amazing thing..." Kenshin murmured.

"You even said that after you all found out about my being former Shinsengumi, Kaoru-san. It felt good to belong somewhere again, after so many years of wandering." Tetsunosuke added, quietly.

"Yet, to the government and Shishio's men, and even to everyone else in this country who had hated Hitokiri Battousai, sessha is still him..." Kenshin said, before he did the one thing that stunned the girl before him into silence; he wrapped his arms around her, and held her close.

"Thank you for everything, Kaoru-dono...and sayonara. Sessha is a rurouni...and once more, sessha will drift." Kenshin whispered, before he gently released her, and started walking away. Tetsunosuke paused briefly before walking after the other rurouni, silently bowed, and followed Kenshin into the darkness. He tried not to hear when Kaoru sorrowfully screamed their names, and allowing only the darkness to see his own tears as he left his first home in ten years behind...possibly forever. For on this day, he and Kenshin became rurouni once more, and they disappeared, side by side, into the darkness.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Now the Kyoto Arc can truly begin! Sorry about the long wait between chapters, minna!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	12. On the Road Again

Chapter Twelve: On the Road Again

Tetsunosuke panted as he and Kenshin ran side by side down the path.

"You two! Young men! How dare you violate the sword ban! And right in front of my face!" a voice bellowed; causing both rurouni to pick up their pace (and Kenshin to shout a number of panic-stricken 'Oro's' in response).

"Doesn't that old coot ever give up?.! He's been chasin' us since we left that village back there!" Tetsunosuke gasped, struggling desperately to keep up with Kenshin as they ran.

"Ororororororororo..." Kenshin muttered, in response; subconsciously picking up his pace when the policeman blew his whistle again.

"_This is what I get for not riding with Saito-san in the carriage to Kyoto! Even __Tatsu__ would've laughed at __this__ mess I've gotten myself into!_" Tetsunosuke sourly thought; growling softly at himself and his own stubborn nature. It had been his decision to travel alongside Kenshin for the duration of the trip to the former capital of Japan; his own sense of honor mixed with his incredible stubborness had led to it.

"_Oh well_..._dwelling on it won't help matters much. We've got to find a way of losing this guy, preferably __before__ we wear our sandals out!_" Tetsunosuke thought, as he reached out, tugged on Kenshin's sleeve, and motioned to a small patch of woods to their right. With an understanding grin crossing the elder rurouni's face, they took off for the trees; hoping against hope that the desperate ploy worked. When they'd reached the shadows of the small forest, they both leaped into the air, grabbed some of the lower-hanging branches, and pulled themselves out of sight and reach of the policeman. Just seconds later, the man in question entered the copse; scowling angrily all around him...but, thankfully for them, not up.

"_Must keep still_..._must keep silent_..._Can't have him see us, and end up chasing us all the way to Kyoto_..." Tetsunosuke thought, turning his head slightly when Kenshin gripped his shoulder, and looked down. Following the unspoken cue, Tetsunosuke looked down and found, to his evident relief, that the old coot was finally giving up.

"Whew...Thought we'd never lose that one! Sheesh! How many does that make now?" Tetsunosuke muttered, as he sat down on the bough, and massaged his sore feet.

"Too many for sessha to even want to remember, Tetsu...That's all sessha can say." Kenshin mumbled, as he sat down as well.

"Feh, true enough. So...what now? Do we risk stopping in Odawara? Or should we keep on going?" Tetsunosuke heard himself ask, even though his mind knew what Kenshin's response would be.

"We need to keep moving. If we stop in any of the castle cities along the way, we'll only invite trouble for those who live there." Kenshin replied, as he slowly got his breath back.

"Yeah...we can't forget about Shishio Makoto. This vendetta of his could very well involve everyone around us, if we don't stay isolated." Tetsunosuke murmured, with a slight sigh, then added, "But we need to restock our supplies. We're running low."

"Too true. Well...let's get going, then." Kenshin said, as he descended from the tree branch first, took a good look around to make sure the policeman was gone, then gave Tetsunosuke the signal that all was clear. By early evening, they'd arrived in the city of Odawara. As quickly as they could, they restocked their traveling bags with some food; not wanting to invite unwanted attention by lingering too long.

"_Any one of the people in this city could be a spy for Shishio_..._or worse._" Tetsunosuke mused, as he remembered their brief encounter with Okubo's murderer that day.

"Please stop at our inn, Odaya! Good prices at Odaya! Hey there, swordsmen! How about it?" one young woman asked, as she gave them a smile. As always, Kenshin politely declined.

"Gomen. We're in a hurry." Kenshin replied, with an apologetic smile of his own.

"A hurry? But it's almost sunset! Night will come upon the both of you in the mountains!" the woman said, a bit concernedly.

"Our apologies, but we must keep moving." Tetsunosuke added, hiding a smirk as a scowl crossed her pretty features.

"You both must be flat broke." the woman grumbled; getting a face-fault from Kenshin for that.

"You okay, Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, snickering as he helped the other rurouni get back up.

"Oro..." Kenshin muttered, as he regained his footing, and dusted himself off.

"_Touched a nerve, didn't it?_" Hijikata's voice sneered, in the back of Tetsunosuke's mind.

"_I'll say._" Tetsunosuke replied, as he followed Kenshin down the path towards the mountains.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Well, now...It's been a while since sessha has had to do this." Kenshin murmured, as he started a campfire and sat down. Tetsunosuke nodded thoughtfully in agreement. It had since gotten too dark to travel, so they'd had to stop in a small clearing near the road itself.

"It has, indeed...I'll bet everyone's furious by now." Tetsunosuke stated, as he stared somberly into the crackling flames.

"Aa...And, what's worse, they have every reason to be..." Kenshin added, then snapped to attention and whipped his sword out.

"A girl's voice...and several men...Not too far away from here...I don't think they're Shishio's men, though." Tetsunosuke said, as he gripped his twin swords tightly.

"Bandits or thieves, most likely...People must be avoided...but this can't be ignored." Kenshin growled, softly, then took off into the darkness. Without another word, Tetsunosuke followed. Within moments, they came upon a sight that neither of them had been expecting; a young woman stood alone in the clearing in front of them...her 'attackers' laid out unconscious before her.

"Well. What a surprise." Tetsunosuke said, his voice startling the woman into turning around.

"A robbery was one thing...but who'd have thought a 'damsel in distress' would be doing the robbing?" Kenshin added; voicing the surprise at this turn of events for both himself and Tetsunosuke.

"Oh, so girls aren't supposed to steal, is that it?" the woman snapped, as she got her racing heart to resume its' usual pace, and glared at them while she was at it.

"Not just girls...No one should be stealing." Kenshin responded. Tetsunosuke could tell they were in for trouble when a smirk crossed the young woman's face.

"Oh, so you think you can tell me what to do? Then maybe I'll steal your money too." the woman said, then took a closer look at them.

"Though, by looking at you two...I don't think you have any..." the woman muttered; getting identical deadpan expressions from both rurouni as a response.

"Does it ever end?" Kenshin grumbled, under his breath.

"No, I don't think it ever will, my friend." Tetsunosuke sighed, listening as the woman continued.

"Well, then, since you are broke, I guess I'll just have to take your swords, instead!" the woman announced; getting a surprised 'Ororo?.!' from Kenshin, and a 'Huh?.!' from Tetsunosuke.

"Our swords?" Tetsunosuke asked, as the woman nodded.

"Hai. If you're both risking it and carrying them against the law, then they must be worth something...right?" the woman asked, before she lunged at them, throwing skilled punches at their faces and chests.

"_She's quick!_" Tetsunosuke mused, as he leaped far enough back to avoid getting kicked, as well.

"How's that?.!" the woman asked, after she'd given them what she had deemed a 'good thrashing'. Both she and Tetsunosuke were a bit surprised when Kenshin straightened up, and showed that he was holding the bag that had been taken from the bandits!

"How's...what? Blows from an amateur like you wouldn't have any force behind them even if you did hit." Kenshin said, then added, "Though it did hurt a little."

"Nice work, Kenshin." Tetsunosuke murmured, impressed with his friend's quick thinking.

"What the...?.! How did you...?.!" the woman yelped, shocked that he'd taken the bag of money without her even noticing it.

"Let's stop now. This money should...!" Kenshin started to say, before the young woman angrily started yelling at the both of them.

"Now I'm mad! Give it back!" the woman shouted, furiously, as she pulled some kunai from her sash, and began throwing them.

"Take this! Kansatsu Tobikunai!" the woman snarled, as she threw the sharp daggers; her eyes widening when Tetsunosuke grabbed her cloak and deflected the weapons easily.

"My cloak!" the woman yelped.

"Gomen..." Tetsunosuke muttered, even though a wolfish grin was on his face as he said that.

"That wasn't very sincere, Tetsu." Kenshin murmured.

"I know." Tetsunosuke answered, as the infuriated woman stomped over to them and got right in their faces.

"Gimme back my money and my cloak!" the woman growled, angrily.

"The cloak, sure, but the money isn't really yours', is it?" Kenshin asked.

"I stole it, so it's mine!" the woman snapped; getting an exasperated 'Oro' from Kenshin for that.

"The least you can do is pay me for my cloak! Gimme your swords, and then we'll be even!" the woman demanded.

"Nothing doing." Tetsunosuke muttered, as he placed his hands over the pommels of both katanas protectively. He only had one sword from his time as a member of the Shinsengumi left, and he did not want to lose that too! Yet he still watched in amusement when Kenshin almost had his sakabatou taken by the stubborn young woman, and when the conversation returned to the bag of money in Kenshin's hand. So it was, that they found themselves again in Odawara; returning the stolen money to the inn it had come from.

"This must be it." Kenshin murmured, thoughtfully, when they had arrived in front of the inn itself.

"Looks like they haven't even noticed the robbery yet. So much the better for us." Tetsunosuke added, as Kenshin nodded, then leaped to the rooftop above them. Tetsunosuke followed shortly after.

"Not bad. Not bad at all. I get it, now! You're both bandits too, huh?" the woman asked, softly; sounding vaguely impressed by the feat. Kenshin's expression deadpanned.

"Don't worry, Kenshin. I'm not going to say anything." Tetsunosuke said, with a slight chuckle, as they both watched the woman leap up onto the rooftop as well.

"How's that?" she asked, as she gave them a thumb's up and a grin.

"Not bad, kid. But what I can't figure out is why you're using that talent to steal." Tetsunosuke said, as they followed Kenshin into the inn's currency exchange.

"Traveling expenses, mainly." the woman replied, as they entered the room where the money was kept, and Kenshin returned the bag he had in hand back to where it was supposed to be.

"Now then, all is well." Kenshin murmured, yet fell over backwards in exasperation when the young woman snatched two more bags of money!

"It sure is!" the woman chirped, happily, before both rurouni made her put the bags back, and Kenshin started shoving her towards the door.

"What are you thinking?.! Out! You've stolen enough today!" Kenshin said, pushed her away from the tempting sight.

"But I can't get back to Kyoto is I don't have any money!" the woman hissed, her words freezing both rurouni in their tracks.

"Kyoto...?" Tetsunosuke and Kenshin heard themselves say, in unison.

"Hai." the woman retorted, once they were outside. When they were once again beyond the walls of the inn, the conversation began in earnest.

"So, you're from Kyoto, then?" Kenshin asked.

"Hai! And, halfway back from Tokyo, I ran out of money. So I had to steal! Then you two came and ruined things." the woman said, a bit sourly, as they walked along the starlit path.

"But what was a young girl doing in Tokyo by herself?" Tetsunosuke questioned, concernedly. For a moment, the young woman hesitated, then she gave them a slight smile.

"Well...I was looking for someone." the woman said, then quietly added, "A person who, during the Bakumatsu, took me in when I had no one else and raised me. At the start of Meiji, we traveled all over, but then...he left me in Kyoto with a friend of his, an old man. But I wanted to stay with him! Every time I hear the rumors, I run away from home to find him! But each time I fail!"

"At last, things become clear, uh..." Kenshin started to say, the trailed off when he realized that he still didn't know the young woman's name.

"What, my name? Misao. Makimachi Misao." the woman said, answering his unspoken question and introducing herself in one felled swoop.

"Still, no matter how badly you needed the money, you shouldn't be stealing, Makimachi-san." Tetsunosuke said, calmly.

"Then how am I supposed to get home, huh?.!" Misao asked, irritably.

"You have sessha's money now. Use it to send a letter to this 'old man' in Kyoto that you'd mentioned, and have him come and fetch you." Kenshin replied, as realization finally crossed Misao's face.

"Another thing you should realize; the men you'd attacked probably have yakuza connections, so you'd better leave Odawara as soon as you can." Tetsunosuke added, yet was proven right seconds later when a shout came from the side of a bridge they had just left.

"There they are!" one man shouted, as he pointed at them. Within seconds, both sides of the bridge were blocked with yakuza.

"They're all over!" Misao muttered, tensing in preparation for a fight.

"You just had to say something, Tetsu." Kenshin muttered, irritably.

"Sorry." Tetsunosuke murmured, as he stood side by side with the elder rurouni.

"There's about thirty. Think you guys can handle ten apiece?" Misao asked, softly, as the yakuza started to close in.

"Of all the...Sessha would prefer to stay out of this nonsense." Kenshin said, his annoyance clearly seen by both the younger rurouni, and Misao.

"Drop the tough talk, shrimp! You're dead too!" some of the yakuza howled, as they charged forward.

"Tetsu...when sessha gives the word, you jump." Kenshin whispered.

"Aa." Tetsunosuke agreed. With a swift swing of his sakabatou, Kenshin cut the bridge.

"You're all thieves...and she's a thief for stealing from you. What say you sessha calls it even, and punishes both sides?" Kenshin suggested, before both he and Tetsunosuke leaped from the collapsing bridge. When the dust had settled, and some of the yakuza were dazedly pulling themselves out of the wreckage (and the river), Misao found herself being watched over by the two rurouni.

"You may not look like much...But boy howdy! You got it where it counts!" Misao muttered, dizzily; voicing her amazement at Kenshin's strength.

"Sessha's defended his share of riverbanks. Dropping a bridge is easy, when the opponents put all their weight in the middle." Kenshin replied, humbly.

"Same here." Tetsunosuke agreed.

"That's great. Almost as great as the people who raised me!" Misao said, as she gathered her wits enough to stand on her own, and grin at them.

"Almost, huh?" Tetsunosuke asked, with something akin to a wistful look in his eyes, when he remembered the Shinsengumi, and just how much growing up he'd done in their ranks.

"Yeah. During the Bakumatsu, they defended the royal Edo castle from the shadows." Misao said, with a sigh; not realizing that Kenshin had frozen in his tracks again, and was giving her a spooked look from over his shoulder. And it wasn't helped by what Misao said next.

"I wonder what they're doing now? Aoshi-sama, and the Oniwabanshu Onmitsu?" Misao murmured, almost longingly.

"Kenshin? What's up? You've gone pale." Tetsunosuke said, softly; he could sense the other rurouni's sudden unease, and found himself troubled by it.

"_You might be about to find out, Tetsu._" Okita's voice said, in the back of his mind; his tone grim as he said that.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Finally going to be updating this regularly again! Sorry about the long wait, minna!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	13. Reminders of the Past

Chapter Thirteen: Reminders of the Past

"Shinomori...Aoshi..." Kenshin muttered, his tone and his face showing his shock at hearing the name.

"_That name is familiar_..._Didn't Susumu mention him, one time?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he watched the two before him, and as Misao's face lit up.

"You know him? Where are they all now?.! Tell me! Are they alive?.!" Misao asked, excitedly, with hope in her childish blue eyes. Without another word, Kenshin turned around and walked off; his face still pale and his hands shaking slightly.

"_Kenshin?_" Tetsunosuke silently asked, bewildered by his friend's actions. Even though he had not known Kenshin for very long, he knew that it was normally against the elder rurouni's nature to be so rude, and not answer a question.

"_Something's bothering him about this. What happened?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he rushed to catch up with the suddenly silent wanderer.

"_Four of those onmitsu died to protect their leader. That is what the Battousai is so upset about, right now. He watched them die, and could nothing to help them._" Okita's voice said, with some sympathy, as his ghostly form appeared beside Tetsunosuke.

"_You mean some of the people that girl was looking for had been killed? Then what of the leader? Their okashira? Does he still live?_" Tetsunosuke questioned.

"_He's still alive, physically, but he's dead spiritually. There's only a desire to kill the Battousai within him, now, and it won't be sated until he's shed your friend's blood._" Okita said, grimly.

"_Damn. Then this situation couldn't get anymore awkward! No wonder Kenshin walked away from her without saying anything!_" Tetsunosuke silently said, as he gave the other rurouni a sidewards glance. Kenshin's purple eyes were gazing intently at the road ahead; the troubled look behind them reminding him of how he'd felt after seeing the evidence of Saito still being alive, and what said Wolf had done to Sanosuke to get their attention. They both cringed when Misao started after them, shouting the whole way.

"_The next few days are __not__ going to be easy_..." Tetsunosuke mentally grumbled, as Okita chuckled and shook his head. And he was proven right. As the morning's light finally touched the road in front of them, Misao's irritated shouts had not abated in the slightest.

"Hey, you two! Wait up! HEY! Why are you both so silent, all of a sudden?.! Answer me! Where is Aoshi-sama?.! Is Hannya-kun okay?.! What about Shikijo-san? Beshimi? Hyottoko? Tell me you carrot-topped, law-breaking, red-dressed, girly-men!" Misao shouted, angrily. Tetsunosuke had to squash the urge to 'Gatotsu' Misao himself when he heard her say 'girly-men'.

"_Now, now, Tetsu! No killing till you get to Kyoto!_" Okita quipped, good-naturedly.

"_Spoilsport._" Tetsunosuke silently growled, then added, in a seething tone, "_'Girly-men', honestly!_"

"There are names, you know. Sessha's name is Himura Kenshin, and his companion's name is Ichimura Tetsunosuke. Please be so kind as to use them." Kenshin finally said, when he'd chanced a look back at the stubborn teenaged girl behind them. Once again, her face brightened into a smile.

"Then if I call you two by name, will you tell me about them?" Misao asked, hopefully.

"No. That is a different matter." Kenshin replied, only to get kicked in the head by the suddenly-enraged young woman.

"Quit jerkin' me around, already!" Misao raged, her blow getting a pained 'Oro' from Kenshin, before he somehow wobbled away from her.

"You all right, Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, as he reached out and steadied the elder rurouni.

"Orororo..." Kenshin muttered, dizzily, in response.

"Thought so." Tetsunosuke said, with a slight smirk; Kenshin was stunned, but not really that hurt by the blow.

"Answer me! Where are Aoshi-sama and...?.!" Misao shouted, yet stopped when she saw that neither man was listening to her. For the next couple of days, the two rurouni were dogged by the persistent Misao Makimachi.

"She's certainly persistent..." Tetsunosuke murmured, keeping his voice low so Misao wouldn't overhear.

"Aa. But sessha is wondering, should she be told of the Oniwabanshu's demise?" Kenshin whispered back.

"Even if nothing is said, she will eventually find out. She will be heartbroken, but...it will definitely be better than her searching for them forever." Tetsunosuke said, wisely; knowing this particular lesson from painful experience.

"Still, she'll keep following us, in the hopes of finding at least one of them. Hiking with a hopeful girl in tow is no good...not when Shishio's men could attack at any moment." Kenshin said, as they both paused, and exchanged grim looks. They both knew what the next step had to be; otherwise, the young woman would be pulled into the danger right along with them.

"She must be lost. We can't let her get involved in this." Tetsunosuke stated, getting a nod from Kenshin, before them both bolted into the woods beside the path. With a swiftness that was not normally seen in humans, the two rurouni raced through the woods effortlessly. All the while, Kenshin could only wonder at Tetsunosuke's speed.

"_He's keeping pace with me very well_..._I wonder how he's managing it?_" Kenshin mused, then listened as Misao followed them.

"_She's certainly not giving up. She must want to see this 'Shinomori Aoshi' pretty badly. In that case_..." Tetsunosuke thought, as he put a little more effort into running, and actually managed to leap all the way across a steep ravine without any help.

"_I should never underestimate Wolves of Mibu._" Kenshin silently told himself; secretly impressed by his friend's strength, as he also leaped across. When they both looked up again, Misao had arrived on the far side of the ravine.

"We're finished...playing 'it'." Kenshin said, calmly.

"Think so, huh?.! We've just gotten started! Till you tell me of Aoshi-sama and the others I'm not...?.!" Misao snapped, yet stopped abruptly when she noticed the chasm in front of her; staring in shock at them when she realized that they had done the impossible.

"Let's go, Tetsu." Kenshin murmured, as he turned and started to walk away.

"Right behind you." Tetsunosuke responded, as he also turned to leave.

"Kansatsu Tobikunai!" Misao's voice shouted, as she threw some more of her daggers at them. With a deft sweep of his sword, Tetsunosuke effortlessly knocked the knives away; preventing any injury to himself or Kenshin by them.

"Give up and go home to Kyoto, girl." Tetsunosuke growled; something of his own persona as a Wolf of Mibu shining through when he said that.

"You may never say how Aoshi happened to take you in, but, if you join the Oniwabanshu, you will always be in danger. Aoshi must have left you in Kyoto because he knew that." Kenshin said, then sighed as a look of sadness crossed his youthful features.

"It's best if you harden your heart and forget them, kid. If only for your own happiness." Tetsunosuke added, his own heart breaking within him, as he said that. For ten long years, that was what he'd told himself, as he wandered the country in his search for some reason to keep going.

"_And yet, even as I told myself that, I kept searching for any sign that any of them had survived_..._I'm not really all that different, since I was also searching for lost comrades. But the longer I searched, the more hopeless it became. I don't want that to be her fate, as well_..." Tetsunosuke thought, as he did all he could to keep his own grief from showing, and to keep his cold-hearted mask in place for a little bit longer. And it hurt even worse for Misao to lower her gaze from them, turn, and walk away; her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I'm sorry, kid." Tetsunosuke murmured, as he and Kenshin both started to walk off. Then, suddenly, they both sensed a bright resurgence of ki behind them, and heard it when Misao refused to listen to Tetsunosuke's words.

"Will you stop lecturing me?.! What do you know?.! 'Forget' you say! I'm searching because I can't forget!" Misao shouted, angrily, as she raced towards them again, with the intent to jump the chasm.

"Kami-sama! She's gonna jump!" Tetsunosuke yelped, as concern and fear widened his reddish-brown eyes.

"How does forgetting the person I love lead to happiness?.!" Misao cried, as she launched herself into the air; actually making it halfway, before gravity started to pull her down. With a desperate lunge, Kenshin raced to the edge of the chasm, leapt after the falling girl, caught her, then somehow launched himself back up again.

"Kenshin!" Tetsunosuke shouted, as the other rurouni reached their side of the cliffs again, with the unconscious girl in his arms.

"Tetsu...if you don't mind...go and find some water...please?" Kenshin panted, as he gently laid the girl down on the soft grass.

"Okay. Be back in just a moment!" Tetsunosuke replied, with relief touching his voice and face, before he raced off again.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

By the time Misao finally came around, the evening sun was casting a reddish-orange hue on the sky. With almost a panicky lurch, she sat back up and looked frantically around. Tetsunosuke could only sigh when she noticed them sitting there; but whether it was a sigh of relief or exasperation, even Kenshin couldn't tell, at this point.

"You're awake." Kenshin stated, matter-of-factly.

"Did I pass out?" Misao asked, bewilderingly.

"Sure did." Tetsunosuke murmured.

"Then why didn't you wake me up?" Misao again asked.

"Enemies are liable to attack at any time during the journey. No one else should be subject to that danger. These stunts of yours'...it's time they stopped." Kenshin sternly said, as he stood up and started to walk off.

"If you must continue to follow us, then keep your distance and act like a stranger, since there's no hope you can be talked out of this." Tetsunosuke muttered, as he made to follow the other rurouni. And yet, they two felt rather than saw Misao's hopeful smile in answer to that.

"Nope! I will see Aoshi-sama again, no matter what!" Misao chirped, as she eagerly followed them even deeper into the woods.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Himura, Ichimura. It's already noon. Let's eat." Misao suggested, the next day. After a restless night, Kenshin had agreed with Tetsunosuke that the direct path would save them more time, but they would not be able to rest along the way.

"_And yet, Misao still manages to keep up. I'm impressed by her tenacity._" Tetsunosuke mused, as they continued on; every so often trading places with Kenshin, and taking up the lead.

"Quit ignoring me!" Misao snapped, angrily, as she threw a kunai at Tetsunosuke's head; getting a pained yelp from the ex-Shinsengumi for that.

"_But she is definitely trying my patience! Maybe I should just let Saito-san kill me, next time! That way I can finally get some peace and quiet!_" Tetsunosuke thought, sourly.

"_Now, Tetsu! Don't be so fatalistic! It can't be that bad!_" Okita snickered; getting what could only be a deadpan look from the younger Wolf for that.

"_Then maybe __you__ should try traveling with her!_" Tetsunosuke snapped, irritably.

"Daijobu ka, Tetsu?" Kenshin asked, with just the barest hint of chagrin in his own voice.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Tetsunosuke replied.

"Good." Kenshin said, as he uttered a longsuffering sigh when Misao shouted at them again.

"Why are we walking in the forest, anyway?.! You two are not trying to lose me again, are you?.!" Misao asked, caustically.

"That's not the reason." Tetsunosuke said, then silently added, "_But don't think that it __hasn't__ crossed my mind, you little brat!_"

"Misao-dono, it's shorter if we go straight, rather than returning to the road. We should reach the road by evening, so don't count on much rest before then." Kenshin stated; allowing a slight smirk to appear on his face when he sensed Tetsunosuke's rather aggravated ki, and understood exactly what his friend was feeling, at this point.

"Why not eat lunch while you walk?" Tetsunosuke asked, and yet again silently added, "_Give your mouth something to do, other than bug the hell out of the both of us!_"

"All right. I'll do that." Misao agreed, her good cheer returning at the mention of this idea, then asked, when she'd gotten her hardtack out, "Do you two want some?"

"One might have brought bento, if one had been thinking." Kenshin murmured, mostly to himself, as he went along.

"I was! You two can't have any, though." Misao said, in a cheery tone. Tetsunosuke found that it was taking all of his willpower just to keep from pinning Misao to a tree with his swords.

"Duly noted." Kenshin muttered, as he placed a placating hand on Tetsunosuke's shoulder.

"I'm telling you, Kenshin, that kid is treading on very thin ice, and on my last nerve! I daresay that Saito-san would've given her a Gatotsu straight through that damn mouth of hers' by now!" Tetsunosuke hissed; his hackles raised in irritation at the young onmitsu.

"Sessha knows what you mean, but you can't kill her." Kenshin stated, softly.

"I know, I know...She's just annoying the hell out of me! I'm beginning to think this Shinomori Aoshi person may have left her in Kyoto just to preserve his own sanity!" Tetsunosuke growled, as they listened to Misao begin to ramble about the onmitsu in question.

"Sessha might just have to agree with you, on that point." Kenshin sighed, as they continued onwards.

"...And no one's greater at martial arts than Hannya. Hannya-kun taught me how to fight, matter of fact!" Misao chirped, not even noticing when Kenshin took the lead again.

"Oh. A snake. Best be cautious." Kenshin murmured, as he continued clearing a path for Misao to walk on.

"Don't you ignore me! I'm talking here!" Misao snapped.

"As though we hadn't noticed." Tetsunosuke muttered, and got a dirty look from Misao for that.

"...Now, I'm about to tell you both about Aoshi-sama." Misao stated, getting right back on track without even skipping a beat.

"_Kami-sama, I am missing Saya even more with every minute spent with this chatterbox, hyperactive Itachi!_" Tetsunosuke thought, sourly, then could only wonder if she was even still alive, after all this time.

"Aoshi..." Kenshin repeated; the darkness returning to his eyes as he said the name.

"He's the youngest Okashira of the Oniwabanshu ever! He's a genius of a ninja, and a master of short swords and martial arts! He's responsible, kind, and only thinks of his comrades. On the outside, though, he shows nothing but the courage of the Oniwabanshu Onmitsu. He'll smirk with confidence before a battle to intimidate the enemy, or to boost his men's morale...but he has never smiled. He's probably...the same way now." Misao said, almost gloomily, then added, with a bright smile, "Someday, though, I will draw out the smile hidden within him!"

"_Smirking with confidence to boost his men's morale_..._Sounds a lot like Saito-san, so long ago. Even Hijikata-san did that, as straight-laced as he was_..." Tetsunosuke mused, not even bothering to jump when Misao lost her temper yet again.

"HEY!! Did you two even hear a single word I said?.! No! Himura's too busy being interested in the bushes, and Ichimura's depressed again!" Misao growled, in aggravation, yet paused when she noticed something; both men had been pushing aside the plants and creating a smoother way for her to walk!

"Hey, why're you two wasting time pushing the plants aside?" Misao asked, finally; her tone a little quieter.

"Isn't it easier for you to walk this way?" Kenshin asked, in turn; noticing when a look of honest surprise appeared in her deep blue eyes.

"I've changed my mind. You both must be hungry. You can have these." Misao said, as she handed each of them one piece of hardtack apiece.

"The rest are mine." Misao added, with a grin.

"All right. Just the one." Kenshin agreed, and as Tetsunosuke also took his one piece of hardtack.

"Hey! It's not spiked with truth serum, is it?.!" Kenshin asked, uneasily. Tetsunosuke could only chuckle softly and shake his head as Misao bristled at the seeming insult.

"Truth serum or no, I'm eating it anyway." Tetsunosuke muttered, tiredly, "_Beggars can't be choosers._" And yet, before he could even take one bite, a faint sound came to his ears; battle instinct forcing him to put it into his traveling bag and look.

"Guys, I just heard a sound..." Misao said, her voice the softest they had ever heard it.

"Hush! Step away...Now! As quietly as you can." Kenshin replied, his eyes narrowed; uneasiness appearing on his face to prove that he also had heard the sound.

"So you weren't lying...when you'd said that someone's after you two?" Misao asked, quietly.

"Just hurry, kid!" Tetsunosuke hissed, before he and Kenshin both bolted off in the direction the sound had come from.

"There's no choice. It would be best to strike first!" Kenshin muttered, as he and the former Wolf of Mibu raced side by side towards what they thought would be their first battle.

"Right." Tetsunosuke agreed, grimly. They didn't slow down in the slightest, when they heard Misao follow them...and yet, neither of them expected to find what they did. In a bloodstained clearing, a young man sat huddled against a tree; alive, but clearly not for much longer.

"Oh, Kami-sama..." Tetsunosuke whispered, when he took in the battered condition of the young man before them. Blood flowed freely from the numerous lacerations on his body; slowly soaking the forest floor beneath him with gore.

"Is he...dead?" Misao asked, her voice reverentially soft, as she joined them.

"No...but..." Kenshin trailed off, as he went and kneeled before the gravely wounded young man before him and asked, "Have you any last words? It seems there's at least two witnesses to your last moments. Allow them to do what they can." At first, there was no response from the dying man, and then, a thin, weak whisper came from between the bloodied lips.

"P-please...My brother...and village...Save them...from Shishio..." the young man pleaded, as tears cascaded down his cheeks and he looked up at them with desperation. As he did so, he revealed what he'd curled himself around...in essence, gave his all to protect. In his arms, a ten-year-old boy was held. The child was also wounded; this fact, and that he was about to lose his brave brother, getting a soft snarl of rage from Tetsunosuke.

"_This is too much like what had happened to Tatsu and me_..." Tetsunosuke thought, as angry tears brimmed in his own eyes, but he refused to let them fall. There would be time for tears later; for now, he and Kenshin had a grim task ahead of them.

"Please...save them...Save them from Shishio's men..." the boy's brother whispered, as the life faded from his eyes, and his head sagged again.

"May you find peace in the afterlife, brave soul." Tetsunosuke murmured, gently, as he reached over and reverentially closed the young man's eyes, then removed the boy from his arms.

"Misao-dono, watch over him. We have to bury the brother." Kenshin said, quietly; his tone subdued; as he and Tetsunosuke did what they could to give the young man a decent burial.

"Got it." Misao agreed; knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that both men intended to find out why this had happened...and see if they could bring some justice back to the village the brothers had come from.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Another new chapter, and getting closer to their first encounter with Shishio! Hope this chapter was an okay read!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	14. First Encounters

Chapter Fourteen: First Encounters

Tetsunosuke could only snarl quietly to himself, as he and Kenshin entered the village. When the boy had awakened, he had told them what he knew. Shingetsu Village had been taken over by Shishio...and abandoned by the government.

"_No upkeep_..._Certainly looks abandoned_..._Like a ghost town_..." Tetsunosuke mused, darkly; unaware that Kenshin was thinking pretty much the same thing. And yet, when they reached the village's center, the Wolf within him almost escaped...For there, hanging by their necks for all to see, were the corpses of a man and a woman, both of them bleeding from multiple wounds.

"Lacerations all over the body...like the boy's brother. This must be the doing of Senkaku..." Kenshin murmured, remembering what they had been told about the 'lord' of this village.

"Yeah..." Tetsunosuke growled, before a bloodcurdling scream sounded from the edge of the forest; neither of them really surprised to find that Misao and the boy had followed them.

"TOU-SAN!! KAA-SAN!!" The boy screamed, in horror; his hopes of getting his parents out of the village dashed. Mere moments later, the two rurouni found themselves surrounded by men in masks.

"You two. You're not from here. Strangers will not be left alive!" the leader of the masked men declared.

"Why did you kill these people?" Kenshin asked, as he placed a restraining hand on Tetsunosuke's shoulder; sensing the rekindled rage, and trying to keep him from attacking just long enough to hear an answer.

"Their sons plotted to escape the village. They were executed by Senkaku-sama for the crime...although we were the ones who strung them up, afterwards." the leader of the group before them sneered, as he pulled down his mask and smirked at them.

"Strung them up...as an example." Kenshin said, his tone getting an angry edge to it, as well.

"Shishio-sama took this village from the swinish government! Shishio-sama and Senkaku-sama hold the power of life and death here! And, by Senkaku-sama's orders, intruders must die! Prepare yourself!" the leader shouted.

"Aku Soku Zan." Tetsunosuke snarled, his eyes taking on an enraged blood-red hue, as he wrenched himself free from Kenshin's grasp, and started to unsheathe both of his swords.

"You should prepare yourselves." Kenshin warned, as a hint of amber appeared in his own eyes. Before Kenshin could say anything more, Tetsunosuke was in the midst of them.

"Nibai Okami Kiba!" Tetsunosuke howled, as he started taking down man after man. At first, Kenshin could only stare in mute shock and almost horror; then he remembered Tetsunosuke's promise, that he would kill only when absolutely necessary.

"_And sessha might as well accept that Tetsu is still a Wolf of Mibu. He can't be expected to hold the vow that sessha has taken._" Kenshin thought, then attacked as well. With steel screaming; Kenshin and Tetsunosuke brought the battle to the dark-clothed killers; one bringing death, the other, just bodily harm. They barely even looked aside, when a familiar ki crossed their senses; glancing back at Misao and the boy when a familiar voice called out to them from next to the pair, only when the fight was over.

"What are you two wasting your time around here for?" Saito asked, as he approached the pair; seeming vaguely surprised when he saw that half of the downed men were dead, and that they had been cut down by the still-enraged Tetsunosuke.

"Why have you come, Saito?" Kenshin in turn questioned.

"Doing my job. A report from one of my men had said that Shishio is here. We have a little time before his forces gather in Kyoto, so I came to look. But he's nowhere to be found." Saito murmured, as he also took in the eerily silent village.

"The boy's brother...he must have been the agent." Tetsunosuke growled, as he slowly got control of his temper again, and turned his gaze to the now quiet youth that stood alongside Misao.

"Boy?" Saito asked, as he also looked that way; his eyes actually revealing a hint of surprise...and also just a tiny bit of sympathy, as he gazed at the young orphan.

"That's right. Mishima Eiichiro is originally from Shingetsu Village. I sent him, thinking he wouldn't raise too much suspicion...But he must have been found out. He tried to save at least his family, but...Foolish boy. He should have waited for my arrival." Saito muttered, with veiled anger in his voice that only the two rurouni, especially Tetsunosuke, could pick up.

"_He's just as upset about this as we are_..._Possibly even moreso, since that man had been under his command._" Tetsunosuke mused, before Misao angrily piped up.

"Hey, you! Is that any way to talk about the dead?.!" Misao shouted, with ire in her vivid blue eyes. Saito arched an eyebrow at this, and the two rurouni sighed; they could almost see what was coming.

"And who is this..." Saito said, then added, after a few moments of thoughtful silence, "Itachi Musume?"

"I'LL KILL YOU!!" Misao snapped, angrily; almost charging at the cop with fists full of kunai.

"Watch out, Saito-san, she's quite mad, as you can see." Tetsunosuke muttered, dryly; getting back some of his own when he saw the added rage in the young onmitsu's eyes.

"Why do you think I'm standing all the way over here, Ichimura?" Saito mumbled, as he gave the kunoichi a deadpan look.

"Point taken." Tetsunosuke stated, as he also backed away from livid Misao, and stood alongside Saito.

"You're not helping matters any, Tetsu." Kenshin murmured, under his breath, then returned his attention to Misao, "It's just Saito's way, Misao-dono! Let him make you mad, and it'll never end."

"Feh." Saito grumbled; yet not without a hint of a rather wicked sense of humor shining through.

"_Ah, yes. Saito-san's nickname for this brat is now permanent._" Tetsunosuke inwardly snickered, before he returned his attention to the grim task in front of them; actually lowering the bodies of the boy's parents to the ground, and preparing them for burial.

"We still need to take the boy's parents down from there, and bury them." Tetsunosuke said, his mood sobering at the prospect.

"True." Kenshin agreed, before an old man's voice made them pause.

"Stop!" the man said, as the rest of the villagers gathered behind him, "You can't take them down! If we touch those bodies and anger Senkaku, the people of this village will suffer! Until Senkaku permits it, leave them alone."

"What are you saying?.! They are the 'people of the village'! Are you saying you'll obey this 'Senkaku' even when he treats you like this?.!" Misao asked, aghast at what she was hearing.

"If we oppose Senkaku, we're given death...while, if we submit to him, we have life, at least. It's best for the village not to take matters any further. You strangers, and the Mishima family, must leave the village now. Eiji...do you hear?" the old man said, speaking to the now-silent boy that stood before his dead parents.

"You...!" Misao growled, and yet, before she could do anything, was stopped when Saito placed a firm hand on her head.

"Don't get angry. Few are willing to risk their lives to protect the pride and respect of other people." Saito murmured, his eyes narrowing as he spoke further, "Most are content to live like livestock. They need neither pride nor respect."

"He's right, Makimachi. Don't waste your anger on them." Tetsunosuke agreed, his own voice carrying a rough edge in it, as he gripped his swords tightly.

"Say what you want. What does a stranger know?" some of the villagers murmured.

"It's all because the police are weak, anyway." another villager said, the accusation in his voice directed at Saito; yet not realizing that he was trying to defame a Wolf of Mibu in the process.

"That's right!" another man agreed, angrily.

"We won't allow you to take down the bodies! Now hurry and get out of here!" the old man commanded. And yet, they all watched when Kenshin approached the gallows, and drew his sword.

"Himura?" Misao questioned, yet smiled when he slashed the ropes that were holding the bodies up; allowing them to come down. Rushing forward, Tetsunosuke was able to catch one of the bodies, while Kenshin caught the other. In a single, gentle move, the two rurouni lowered the blood-stained couple to the ground...and Tetsunosuke could barely hear when Saito murmured what sounded like a brief mantra under his breath.

"_There's the Saito Hajime I knew so well._" Tetsunosuke thought, as he carefully closed the eyes of the couple; ignoring the cries of protest from the rest of the cowed villagers.

"So this is what this village has become." Saito said, his voice almost subdued, as he approached; surprising Kenshin in the fact that he had what appeared to be prayer beads in hand.

"Aa..." Kenshin said, as he and Tetsunosuke watched the cop give the couple their last rites, and then return his feral amber gaze to the retreating villagers.

"This is to be the future of Japan, in the new age Shishio brings. People governed by violence and fear...their only hope simply being to live another day; forgetting what life is for." Saito growled, as he returned the beads to their place in his pocket.

"Saito-san, did the government really abandon this village?" Tetsunosuke asked, his eyes showing an emotion that Kenshin could not readily identify.

"Yes. And not just this one. Ten villages have been abandoned to Shishio already. The police no longer even pretend to have plans of recapturing them." Saito replied, grimly.

"But why don't you call in the army if the police can't do it?" Misao questioned.

"Fool. It's only been half a year since the Seinan War. If the army has to neutralize an internal squabble again, it will only make Japan's instability obvious to foreign powers." Saito retorted, as the teenaged girl before him bristled.

"What kind of dumb reason is that?.!" Misao snapped, yet was called down by Tetsunosuke's almost haunted voice.

"Makimachi, suppose the army would help us. The politicians could never approve it, for fear that they would follow in the example of Okubo Toshimichi." Tetsunosuke murmured, as the other two men silently agreed with him.

"True. The army could retake the villages...but anyone who approved the action would pay. The difficulty of preventing assassinations within the government...Well, you know about that." Kenshin said, as he directed the comment at the elder Wolf.

"Government leaders are, in the end, only human. They save themselves...and wait for someone else to solve the problem." Saito growled, in disgust.

"But who is this 'someone else'?.! Who is it that's going to save this village?.! Who's going to avenge this boy's sorrows?.!" Misao asked, as she gestured to the still-silent Eiji, who was now standing over his dead parents with his head lowered. Saito, Tetsunosuke, and Kenshin shared a brief, pained look at the grieving boy; each of them remembering similar events in their own lives, and what had brought them to their own decisions for what they now believed in.

"The village, the police...the army, the government...All of them will do just as Shishio Makoto pleases...That is why, now, hitokiri and Shinsengumi are both needed." Saito murmured, as he gave the two rurouni a grave look

"_You can count on me, Saito-san._" Tetsunosuke silently assured him, and nodded to let the elder Wolf know that much. Kenshin said and did nothing, however, yet only gave Saito a grim look of his own. His vow to never kill again...would he have to renege that promise?

"We know the location of Shishio's lair. We know what we must do." Saito added, and got a reluctant agreement from Kenshin moments afterwards.

"Lead the way, Saito-san." Tetsunosuke said, ready to get some vengeance for the orphaned boy. Without another word, Saito turned and started to walk away; knowing without asking that the two rurouni would follow.

"Wait! I'm coming too!" Misao said, as she started to jog after them.

"No. You stay here." Saito ordered; seemingly a bit surprised that the young woman wanted to come with them.

"Never! How can I forgive anyone who does this?.!" Misao growled, as she pointed back over her shoulder with her thumb at the scene behind her. Saito didn't answer, and only started moving towards their target again.

"Misao-dono." Kenshin said, even as the kunoichi pulled out her kunai again.

"What?.! I don't care what you say, I..." Misao started to argue, yet was quieted when Kenshin asked just one thing of her.

"Could you please...stay by Eiji's side?" Kenshin asked, softly. With a subdued nod, Misao let the trio go; watching as they disappeared into the shadows.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It didn't take long for the three men to reach the mansion where Shishio had been reported to be staying; the mutual feeling of determination bridging the silence between them as they approached the door.

"Himura Battousai, Saito Hajime, and Ichimura the Peacemaker, correct?" a boyish voice asked, from in front of them. The teenaged owner of the voice smiled cheerily at the trio, even as a wary expression appeared on Kenshin's face.

"Be careful Saito. He is the one who assassinated Okubo." Kenshin murmured, his expression still distrustful, even as the boy tried to ease their tension, somewhat.

"Now, really, I'm just a guide today. See? I carry no weapons." the boy said, as he waved his hands around to prove that he was indeed unarmed.

"_In more ways than just one, this kid reminds me of Okita-san_..." Tetsunosuke mused, somewhat disturbed by this thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Saito was also probably thinking along those same lines, since a slight trace of unease could be seen in his golden eyes.

"Shishio-san awaits you in the back. Shall we?" the boy invited, as he motioned for them to step inside.

"We can't move forward by being careful. Let's go." Saito said, as he allowed a slight smirk to appear on his face. With a nod, the two rurouni silently agreed, and they followed the boy into the mansion. They arrived in a spacious and well-lit room just minutes afterwards, and were faced with a sight that Tetsunosuke would remember for a long time afterwards. At the very back of the room, sat a man who was wrapped, head-to-toe, in bandages. Even from where he stood, the younger Wolf of Mibu could sense his appraising crimson eyes gazing keenly at them, and felt his fiery ki.

"So you are...Shishio Makoto." Kenshin said, coolly, from between Saito and Tetsunosuke.

"Please! 'Shishio Makoto-kun', at least. A visitor should have better manners." the bandaged man replied, as he casually took a drag from his pipe.

"Not that your manners have been much better." Tetsunosuke growled, softly.

"Hey, should you be standing at ease like that? Battousai could take one leap at Shishio and kill him." Saito said, as he glanced at the almost complacent youth beside him.

"I'm not worried. Himura, unlike you and the Peacemaker, would never resort to such dirty tricks." the boy stated, with a knowing grin.

"_He sees clearly, as much as I hate to admit it._" Tetsunosuke mused, and knew that Saito was thinking the same thing.

"Why did you target this place? Your goal is this nation itself, not one or two small villages." Kenshin stated, as he got back to the matter at hand.

"Onsen." Shishio replied, simply...but it was enough to get a reaction from the elder rurouni, before he continued, "The hot springs here soothe my burnt skin, but, if other customers saw me, they'd be scared. So I made it mine."

"You destroyed the village for that?" Kenshin asked, his ire beginning to rise at this.

"Please. I'm joking. Don't get so worked up." Shishio chuckled, then added, "You're as humorless as they say you are." Tetsunosuke flinched when Saito smacked the angered Kenshin on top of the head; a vague look of irritation appearing as he did so.

"That was a cheap taunt. Don't get hysterical, like that Itachi Musume." Saito muttered. Tetsunosuke inwardly smirked when he almost heard Misao sneeze, even from as far away as they now were from her.

"I took this village as a stronghold from which to conquer the eastern shore, though I do like the onsen here." Shishio explained, patiently, as he emptied his pipe into an ashtray; ignoring when he got growls from not only Kenshin, but also Tetsunosuke as well.

"So, you sit in your bandages and plan your revenge against the Meiji Government." Saito said, his smirk not having diminished in the slightest.

"Captain of the Third Shinsengumi Unit, Saito Hajime. I thought you were more of my mind than that of Battousai or the Peacemaker, so I expected you to understand a bit better...But not quite. I actually have no desire to take revenge on those who gave me these wounds at all. In fact, I thank them for it. Thses wounds burned many lessons into my body. 'Trust and be betrayed'. 'Relax your guard, and be killed'. 'Kill before you are killed'. And also...'Women will come to a real man no matter what he looks like'." Shishio said, nonchalantly, smirking when the woman at his side gently caressed his bandaged face.

"Is that so? Then shouldn't you be more content?" Tetsunosuke asked.

"Indeed. It's so tiring to have to run around the country after you." Saito muttered, as he leaned back almost casually on the wall near the door. This got only a sigh from the bandaged man, as a response.

"You, the Peacemaker, Battousai, and I...We're all men who had lived through the Bakumatsu. Why can't you understand my feelings?" Shishio asked, then said, "The emperor, the shogun, the exclusion of foreigners, the opening of the ports...Bakumatsu was the first era of chaos in thirty years. A man forged in such an age, must be a man of unquenchable ambition." At this, Saito allowed his smirk to fall from his face; a cause for some alarm within Tetsunosuke.

"_Not good. This situation's about to go downhill fast, judging from that expression._" Tetsunosuke thought, as he fingered his swords; making absolutely certain that they were still there, and had not been stolen by the cheerfully clapping boy beside them.

"But," Shishio continued, after a few moments, "By the time my wounds healed...there was something called the 'Meiji Government'. A government that fears to send an army to finish off a half-dead being like me, because it fears the eyes of foreign countries. A government of weaklings. I can't leave this nation to a government like that! So! If the revolution is over, then I'll start another one! This time I will gain control! Then I will make this country stronger! That is the 'right' I bring to Japan."

"But...It's not you who bleeds for your 'right'. The ones who bleed, are those who live peacefully in this age." Tetsunosuke growled, struggling to keep his voice even. He knew, as well as Kenshin and Saito did, that if another revolution did indeed happen, that more children like Eiji would end up as orphans...or worse.

"It is the fittest who survive in this world. But I won't ask you to understand that." Shishio sneered, not even reacting when Kenshin unsheathed his sakabatou.

"Shishio Makoto, no one else may be allowed to bleed for your personal 'right'." Kenshin declared, strongly.

"Saito-san, Ichimura-san, how about you two?" the boy asked; his smile not having abated in the slightest.

"I don't make a habit of making speeches like that...But my sword turns against you, as well." Saito said; his smirk slowly returning as he spoke.

"And both of my blades are also against him." Tetsunosuke added, coldly.

"I have no objection to fighting you...But, if we are to do it, I'd rather be in Kyoto." Shishio said, then sighed again, "No? Well, if fight we must...then let's leave it to the man who controls this village, Senkaku!" With a loud roar, a huge man erupted from beneath the floor; the blades on his knuckles gleaming sickeningly as he stood before them.

"Makes me wish Hijikata-san were here..." Tetsunosuke muttered, as his expression deadpanned.

"Why?" Saito asked, curious as to why the younger Wolf had thought this.

"Hijikata-san would've made him commit seppuku just for being ugly." Tetsunosuke replied; getting a snort of amusement from Saito for that comment.

"So, you are Senkaku...The man who had murdered Eiji's brother and parents." Kenshin murmured, as the huge man bellowed again, then charged at them. With tremendous speed, the behemoth raced towards them; forcing the three to split up to avoid getting hit by him.

"He's quick." Saito muttered, sounding just vaguely impressed by this, even as Senkaku turned his attention to Kenshin, and bashed him into a wall.

"Oh my...he's weaker than expected." the boy said, blithely.

"Himura Battousai is no one to fear!" Senkaku laughed, yet froze when a calm voice came from beneath his bladed hand.

"Eiji has his promise. I will take you down before Shishio!" Kenshin said, as he gave Senkaku a glare that caused a chill to race down Tetsunosuke's spine...and he had no doubts that Kenshin would carry through with it.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Not exactly an exciting chapter, but I had to get this in, so things would fall into place. So sorry about the delay minna (have had a chest cold for the past week, so it made it impossible to concentrate on the story. Gomen!) More action in the next chapter, that's a promise!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	15. The Breaking of a Dragon's Fang

Chapter Fifteen: The Breaking of a Dragon's Fang

The two Wolves of Mibu watched, as Kenshin held off Senkaku's blade.

"Take down? Me?" Senkaku asked, dubiously, as the elder rurouni gave him a glare.

"You." Kenshin confirmed, coldly.

"TRY IT!!" Senkaku roared, as he began his attack afresh. With tremendous speed, Kenshin evaded the blows raining down on him.

"_This will be a first time in ten years that I have seen Kenshin at his strongest. I need to be sure to pay close attention._" Tetsunosuke mused, as he carefully took note of how the other rurouni was pacing himself, yet kept his ki trained on Shishio and the boy beside Saito.

"_And yet, I still can't feel any swordsman's ki from the boy, even though he apparently is a swordsman_..._Weird._" Tetsunosuke added, sensing that Saito was coming up with the same thing, since he was still attempting to decipher him.

"Senkaku, who has carved up ninety-nine people, will make you his one hundredth!" Senkaku bellowed, as he followed Kenshin's movements closely.

"Only ninety-nine? And here I thought you were a warrior!" Saito taunted, smirking even though his eyes were glaring holes into the brute. With those words said, Kenshin's speed increased; going from his usual swiftness into the god-speed that he was famous for.

"Shinsoku, the famous god-speed!" the woman beside Shishio murmured, with some surprise on her pretty face, and as the boy reacted as well.

"Senkaku never loses in speed." the boy said, as they all watched Kenshin seemingly disappear from in front of the brute, and reappear behind him.

"Behind me, Battousai!" Senkaku growled, as he turned and slashed at Kenshin again; only managing to slice into his afterimage as he disappeared again.

"Heh, is Battousai a coward whose only skill is to strike from behind?" Senkaku sneered; continuing when he got no immediate answer, "That's something I can do too!" Tetsunosuke watched with some surprise, as the huge man disappeared and reappeared behind Kenshin.

"It's nothing to be proud of." Kenshin finally murmured, his eyes still slightly narrowed as he spoke.

"Your speed matches mine, but I have the sheer strength you don't...And these knuckle blades take full advantage of both!" Senkaku boasted, as he launched himself forward again; this time at full speed.

"_He's wrong about Kenshin's speed matching his own_..._and he's about to find out the hard way!_" Tetsunosuke thought; inwardly allowing himself a grim smile at that thought.

"Himura is having a hard time. He's been pushed around and hasn't had an opportunity to strike yet. Why don't you two help him out?" the boy asked, curiously.

"You're joking. I don't plan on revealing my sword moves on an opponent like that." Saito muttered, with a smirk.

"It isn't my place to help him now. Besides, I'd be too tempted to kill the yarou for murdering Eiji's parents and brother. Also, even though your master was just smirking and speaking freely just moments ago, once the battle started, his eyes changed." Tetsunosuke stated, intelligently.

"He's trying to analyze every move Battousai makes. He is reckless, but he hasn't let his guard down. Battousai, of course, can feel his eyes, and that is why he's waiting for his opponent's self-destruction." Saito added; secretly impressed by how much Tetsunosuke had matured over the years, despite their earlier encounter.

"Self-destruction?" the boy asked, confusedly; his smile fading for just a moment, and allowing an almost puppyish look of bewilderment to take up residence there.

"Watch." Saito ordered, nodding towards the rapidly moving pair, just as Senkaku's right leg folded in on itself, and the giant went down in a howl of pain.

"My...leg...is broken..." Senkaku gasped, in disbelief.

"By moving repetitively without dropping your speed, you've exceeded the impact your body could stand." Kenshin intoned, calmly.

"Nonsense! We were moving at the same speed! How can my body have hit it's limit...before your puny body hit its'?.!" Senkaku growled, not believing what he was hearing.

"We moved at the same speed, but your body is heavier, so the burden on it was greater." Kenshin replied, the deadly look in his eyes returning.

"No, that can't be! That's never happened before! My body shouldn't hit the limit at such a speed...!" Senkaku again cried, yet was interrupted by Saito.

"Fool, don't you see yet? Battousai slightly increased his speed every time he moved. You believed you were moving at the same speed, and fell for it." Saito said, his tone sending chills down the back of the fallen brute.

"You were saying that you've killed ninety-nine people, but...it seems your one hundredth kill was you." Tetsunosuke snarled, his red-brown eyes gaining some of the crimson and gold hue that had been seen during the fight at the dojo.

"Well, you think so many things while you're fighting!" the boy said, as his smile returned, and a look of true fear appeared on Senkaku's face. The brute was now realizing just how fearsome the trio's expressions had become. Even in the brightly lit room, the shadows made Kenshin's eyes appear almost demonic, and brought out the lupine sheen hidden within both Saito's and Tetsunosuke's eyes, as well.

"It...was a lie...I didn't kill that many people! Ninety-nine was just a figure of speech...you see?" Senkaku stammered; clearly beginning to freak out when he felt the three men's anger.

"But you were the one who had killed Eiji's family, weren't you?" Kenshin growled, as all trace of his eyes' normal color was replaced by cold amber.

"Senkaku." Shishio called, his voice clearly filled with disdain, "I didn't really expect you to win, but, if you lose without making Battousai reveal a single move, I'll personally put an end to you." With that kind of threat hanging over the huge killer, Senkaku forced himself to his feet with a roar, and attacked the rurouni again. Without even losing a single moment, Kenshin launched himself up towards the brute, and landed a decisive blow.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...Ryu Sho Sen!" Kenshin shouted, as he blow struck Senkaku under the chin and knocked him back once again. Saito uttered a sound of disgust in the back of his throat, and glared at Kenshin.

"Baka...taking pity on that muscle-head. That kindness may cost you your life." Saito grumbled, as Kenshin gracefully landed and pointed his sword at Shishio.

"He's the rurouni who made a vow to never kill again, Saito-san...But only time will tell if he'll be able to hold on to that promise through all this." Tetsunosuke murmured.

"Be that as it may, Saito, I'm not so worried about sessha..." Kenshin stated; proving that he'd heard Saito, despite the noise of the just-ended battle, then directing his attention back to the bandaged man, "Get your sword, Shishio Makoto." For a few moments, the two men stared at one another; no one moving until Saito pulled open the door he'd been standing near.

"Stop sneaking around and watch." Saito growled, as Misao and Eiji fell into the room; having been caught by surprise by the door suddenly opening.

"Just don't leave our sides, Makimachi." Tetsunosuke commanded; irritation coming to the forefront, when he saw that they had not remained a safe distance away from the mansion.

"Misao-dono!" Kenshin yelped, equally as surprised by this turn of events.

"That move called 'Ryu Sho Sen'...You swung upward into Senkaku's chin, but, originally it was a move designed for a blade, yes?" Shishio asked, inquisitively.

"Hai..." Kenshin replied, reluctantly.

"I'm disappointed. I'd heard from my men that you had quit being a hitokiri and become a rurouni...but couldn't believe it, not until I saw with my own eyes. Try to beat me like that, and you haven't a chance in hell. And I don't like boring fights." Shishio growled, then added, "I'll wait for you in Kyoto, so come back once you're a hitokiri again." To their shock, as he'd been speaking, a hidden doorway had opened behind the bandaged hitokiri, and he and the woman were preparing to leave through it.

"Running with your tail between your legs?" Kenshin asked, before Shishio grabbed the sword that had been displayed behind him, and deftly tossed it to the boy beside the two Wolves.

"Soujiro, amuse yourself with them in my stead." Shishio said; disregarding Kenshin's question completely. This got a giddy and excited smile from the youth; even as Tetsunosuke reeled back in shock.

"_Soujiro?.! That was __Okita__-san's nickname!_" Tetsunosuke thought; almost feeling ill when he realized just what this could mean.

"Oh. May I?" Soujiro asked, gleefully, as he gripped the sword in both hands and grinned at Shishio.

"Yes. In return for the 'Ryu Sho Sen', show them your 'Tenken'." Shishio confirmed, before he and the woman both disappeared down the hidden corridor.

"I shan't hold back." Soujiro warned, even through the smile he was now giving Kenshin.

"Hey, Himura! What are you dozing off for?.! If you don't hurry, that bandage man is gonna get away!" Misao shouted...only to be bowled over mere seconds later by an incredible surge of ki. This only got a curious tilt of the head from Soujiro, and a stunned look from the knocked-down kunoichi as a response.

"Wh-what was that?.!" Misao stammered, as Tetsunosuke reached down and helped her up.

"Directing ki toward him is like pushing oneself off against a curtain. I've been doing the same thing for a while." Saito muttered, as a slightly disturbed expression appeared on his aquiline face.

"As have I. That man lacks not only battle ki, but also aggression and rage, as well. He has no ki, no 'joy', so he has no fighting spirit...nor does he have any 'anger', meaning no aggression. The well-trained swordsman acts by reading his opponent's emotions. That won't work on Soujiro. Even if we'd wanted to attack, we couldn't because we didn't know how Soujiro would react." Tetsunosuke explained, tensely.

"With Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, which depends on reading the opponent's mind, it's all the more hopeless." Saito added, his smirk now permanently gone, in the face of this development.

"Gomen. If I don't hurry, I won't be able to catch up with Shishio-san." Soujiro said, yet watched with unruffled calm as the rurouni before him sheathed his sword, and shifted into a battoujutsu stance.

"Thought so." Tetsunosuke murmured; eyes narrowing, since he could sense what was coming.

"If he can't react to the opponent, then it's the most advantageous to strike with the fastest sword." Saito agreed, as he crossed his arms and watched.

"Battoujutsu...of course. Then...I too..." Soujiro almost whispered, as he also sank into a battoujutsu stance. For just a few seconds, the two swordsmen stood poised; then, with lightning-fast moves, they both struck. Tetsunosuke flinched, when he heard the sound of breaking steel, and felt his heart freeze when he saw half of Kenshin's sakabatou fly off, and sink into the floor just in front of his feet.

"Damn..." Tetsunosuke muttered, in disbelief.

"Match over, you think?" Soujiro asked, with his usual unfazed smile.

"Yes. It's a draw...the both of you are unable to continue." Saito replied, as yet another unbelievable thing happened. With a sound that was reminiscent of ice cracking, the sword in Soujiro's hands also broke; thousands of tiny cracks appearing all along the blade.

"Double damn..." Tetsunosuke again mumbled; looking from Kenshin to Soujiro, and back again.

"_I'm __glad__ he never had to use that sort of strength on __me_" Tetsunosuke thought, as Misao cheered for the elder rurouni.

"Astounding...it's beyond repair." Soujiro murmured, his bright blue eyes wide with surprise, then his unflappable smile returned, "Ah, well. It's Shishio-san's, anyway. There's no winner or loser in this match, so I'll be on my way for today. I can only hope we'll meet again. But, before then, please find another sword, Himura-san." And, with that, Soujiro retreated; leaving them standing within the large room.

"You all right, Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, as he walked over and gripped his friend's shoulder.

"Aa." Kenshin replied, as he sheathed what was left of his sakabatou, and sighed. What was he to do now?

"His sakabatou...broke?" Misao asked, as she walked over to them with a concerned look on her face.

"Shishio and his gang got away as well." Saito muttered, and got a dirty look from Misao for being so disparaging.

"Well, we can make another sword, and chase Shishio again. We were able to rid this village of Shishio's men. That in itself is enough." Kenshin murmured, as his own smile returned; even though it seemed strained.

"I'm reluctant to agree with you, on this one." Tetsunosuke admitted, then glanced at Senkaku for added emphasis; his eyes widening when he saw Eiji raise what remained of his brother's sword, and prepare to skewer Senkaku's throat with it.

"Eiji!" Misao yelped.

"Die Senkaku!" Eiji cried, as he started to lower the sword. Thankfully enough, Saito was at his side in a heartbeat; gripping the ruined sword in the fingers of one hand, then grabbing the vengeful boy's gi and flinging him back. The boy hit the rice-paper wall hard.

"He's no use to us dead. There's still too much we need of him." Saito growled.

"This is my revenge! Don't stop me!" Eiji snapped, angrily, as he got up from where he'd been thrown and glared at the tall cop.

"Baka. Revenge killings were outlawed in the sixth year of Meiji. I've enough to do, already." Saito grumbled, then added, "Besides, if he's turned over to the law, he'll be tortured and then executed. It's much crueler than killing him while he's unconscious."

"Ogre..." Misao mumbled, when she saw the rather cruel smirk on Saito's face.

"It's just his way, Makimachi." Tetsunosuke reminded, with a sigh.

"Shut up! I don't care about laws or executions! If I don't get revenge with my very own hands, how can my family ever...?" Eiji said, as he gripped his ruined sword, yet trailed off when Kenshin firmly put a hand over his own to stop him from lifting it.

"What the dead wish for is not revenge...but happiness for those left alive. If you dirty your hands now, then no one will be happy." Kenshin calmly said, as he removed the boy's hand from the hilt of the blade, and gazed somberly at it, "As time passes, this small hand will grow larger...and you will become an adult. Don't become a man like Shishio or Senkaku, oppressing others with power, and don't grow into a man like those in the village, paralyzed by fear. Instead, become a man like your brother, who wanted, at the end, for you to be safe...And to achieve happiness."

"Listen to Kenshin, kid. If anything, you can always trust his word." Tetsunosuke murmured, quietly, as Eiji started to weep again.

"Why can't you say anything, Tetsu? Why wouldn't your word be just as good?" Misao asked; giving him a vaguely surprised look when a haunted expression appeared on the younger Wolf's face.

"A long time ago, I joined the Shinsengumi to get revenge on the ones who had killed my parents...and saw tragedies happen within their ranks that made my previous one pale in comparison. As such, I have no right to speak that way to Eiji." Tetsunosuke replied, then added, "And yet, there is no regret about meeting the people I'd met then."

"So, for now, at least...I guess it's settled." Misao murmured.

"Is it?" Saito softly growled, as he gazed at the other half of the ruined sakabatou, and could only wonder what would happen next.

_**Author's Note! **_

_**Ah, yes. Friday the Thirteenth. Normally, bad luck happens on a day like this (and it seemed to be a bad day for Kenshin, ne?) Anyway, I hope this chapter was all right, despite it being a bit short. Hopefully the next chapter will be a bit longer. Thanks for reading, minna!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	16. Return to the Battlefield

Chapter Sixteen: Return to the Battlefield

From atop a hill overlooking the village, Kenshin, Saito, Tetsunosuke, Misao, and Eiji watched as a bound Senkaku was wheeled out; the cheers of the villagers more or less a bittersweet sound for the three men, and the young boy.

"Now, Shingetsu Village can return to normal." Tetsunosuke murmured, as he watched more police officers enter the village and keep the people back away from the cart Senkaku had been tied to.

"Everyone cheering like that...I don't feel right about this." Misao muttered, sourly; remembering how offensive and hopeless the villagers had been only hours before.

"It's only the beginning. The ugliness of their souls was exposed in this incident, meaning it'll be rough for a while." Saito murmured, with a thoughtful smirk; a mischievous glint appearing in his eye when Misao gave him an unreadable look.

"I don't feel 'right' about you either." Misao mumbled; feathers slightly ruffled when the cop snickered softly at her expense.

"Better get used to it, Makimachi, since he was even harder to understand when he was in the Shinsengumi." Tetsunosuke stated; getting a false look of betrayal from the cop, and a rather bemused expression from Kenshin, as well.

"This village is still my homeland...I'll pray for the best." Eiji murmured, as he gazed somberly at the village; not noticing when Kenshin gave him a slight smile. There was hope for the orphan, yet.

"Now, it's time for me to go back." Saito announced, quietly.

"All right, but...What's to be done with Eiji?" Kenshin asked, as Misao and Tetsunosuke prepared to walk in the opposite direction than Saito was going in.

"Neither of you, nor I, can take him along, so I'll have Tokio take care of him until things settle down." Saito informed, as a slight smirk appeared on Tetsunosuke's face.

"_Here it comes_..." Tetsunosuke thought, as looks of confusion appeared on Kenshin's and Misao's faces.

"'Tokio'?" Kenshin asked, confusedly.

"My wife." Saito said, as the elder rurouni and kunoichi were almost literally 'blown away' by that piece of information.

"W-w-w-wife?.!" Misao yelped, in disbelief.

"You're married?.!" Kenshin questioned, also shocked by this.

"Indeed he is." Tetsunosuke responded, then turned and gave the older Wolf a curious look, "How is Tokio-san doing these days, anyway?"

"She's doing well. Shall I give her your regards?" Saito asked.

"Hai." Tetsunosuke replied, with a warm smile, then returned his attention to the shocked pair beside him.

"Don't worry, Tokio is a good woman. She'll take good care of Eiji." Saito reassured; allowing himself a sigh of exasperation when Misao and Kenshin exchanged wide-eyed looks. They certainly hadn't expected anything like this!

"She must be something...if she can be this guy's wife!" Misao said.

"A veritable bodhisattva." Kenshin agreed, as Tetsunosuke chuckled at those comments.

"A bodhisattva with a killer broom, ne, Saito-san?" Tetsunosuke asked, jokingly. At this, surprisingly enough, Saito's expression deadpanned.

"You have no idea." Saito muttered, with a sigh and a slight shake of his head, before adding, "Don't worry about us. You two just hurry on to Kyoto,...and Battousai, return to being hitokiri. This battle must have made it clear. As a rurouni, you can't defeat Shishio, or even his close cohorts. It was a good time for your sakabatou to break. Quit dithering and make the decision. I'm counting on you...and on your past." With that said, Saito turned and left, with Eiji close to his side.

"_The Wolf has adopted an orphaned pup_..._in much the same way when the Shinsengumi had adopted Tatsu and me_..._Tatsu_..._Where in the world have you gotten to? You aren't dead, are you? I certainly hope not._" Tetsunosuke mused, as he listened to Misao try and get Kenshin to cheer up.

"Okay, so maybe I don't get it, but they ran and we won...So ignore what Saito says, since he didn't do anything, anyway! Himura, you look impressive when you're grim and silent, but kinda scary too. I prefer the Himura who's relaxed and says 'Oro'. Oh yeah. He's much better! And the casual Tetsu is better too!" Misao encouraged.

"What Misao-dono likes is not of concern." Kenshin murmured.

"Oh...well, in that case..." Misao began, abashedly, then anger took over when she realized just what had been said, just then, "Hey! You don't have to be rude!" It was then that the two rurouni gave her slight smiles; and she could see that their eyes had regained not only their normal colors, but also their warmth.

"We've spent a lot of time here, so let's hurry on our way. Shishio's men probably won't attack until Kyoto, so it's now safe to take the East Sea Road." Tetsunosuke stated; ducking when Misao aimed an enraged kick at his and Kenshin's heads.

"_Quite the spitfire, isn't she?_" Okita's voice asked, in amusement.

"_Just like Tokio-san had been, ten years ago._" Tetsunosuke replied, with a sigh. He now understood exactly how the elder Wolf must have felt, the first few months after first meeting his wife. Then another, more sobering thought returned to him.

"_Okita-san?_" Tetsunosuke silently said, when the three of them had finally started walking again.

"_Hmm?_" Okita responded, the ghostly image of him appearing beside Tetsunosuke, and tilting his head to one side in curiosity.

"_That boy_..._Soujiro_..._What did you make of him?_" Tetsunosuke questioned, tensely.

"_I_..._I'm not sure what to tell you, Tetsu_..._He'd felt familiar, somehow, yet I'm uncertain as to exactly __why__ or __how_" Okita said, with a sigh.

"_I see_..._I guess the answer lies in Kyoto, then._" Tetsunosuke said, grimly.

"_Guess so._" Okita agreed, as he floated alongside his former comrade; doubt and a little bit of dread entering him as he did so.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

One week later, the trio found themselves entering the city of Kyoto. With the excitable Misao leading them, Kenshin and Tetsunosuke walked through streets they hadn't honestly thought they'd ever see again.

"We're finally here! I feel so much more at home, here." Misao said; not noticing that some grim expressions had appeared on the two men's faces.

"Ten years of wandering after the Bakumatsu...I never thought I'd find myself here again." Tetsunosuke murmured; keeping his voice low enough so only Kenshin could hear.

"Same here." Kenshin agreed, quietly.

"Himura, Ichimura, this way! Hurry up!" Misao shouted, now at the end of the street they had been walking down for a few moments.

"_And yet_..._behind the beauty of this city, lurks the memories of evil. Restless spirits, echoing it's centuries of pain_..._Dark memories of famine, war, and plague. During the Bakumatsu, Kyoto knew no days without the scent of blood and death. It was, to put it simply, a hell on earth_..." Tetsunosuke mused, and knew that Kenshin was thinking the same thing, since his eyes were narrowed, once again, and had a hint of a golden sheen in them. And yet, both were startled out of their dark thought when Misao got right up in their faces and screamed at them.

"ICHIMURA!! HIMURA!!" Misao screeched, actually managing to startle Tetsunosuke so badly, that he jumped right into Kenshin's arms!

"Oro?.!" Kenshin and Tetsunosuke both asked, bewilderingly, before Kenshin fell over backwards.

"What do you mean 'Oro'? Why are you two so out of it? You've both been acting weird since we entered Kyoto! And can't you do something about your swords? They attract way too much attention." Misao said, as the two thoroughly embarrassed rurouni got up and dusted themselves off. Kenshin then arched an eyebrow.

"And if Misao-dono were perhaps to change her outfit..." Kenshin started to say, before he got a swift kick in the head from the enraged kunoichi as a response to that comment. Tetsunosuke sighed and shook his head; feeling some chagrin when he 'heard' some laughter from the ghosts of the Shinsengumi.

"_I __almost__ feel sorry for the Battousai, at this point._" Hijikata muttered, as Yamanami's ghost chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"_Whattabout me?_" Tetsunosuke asked, feeling a bit perturbed that he'd been ignored.

"_Call it karma._" Hijikata sneered, feeling some satisfaction at the chagrin he could feel coming from his former page.

"_Thought so._" Tetsunosuke silently muttered, as he and Kenshin continued following the young kunoichi through the crowded streets. After a few twists and turns, they finally came to a district that was mainly filled with restaurants and inns.

"Really, Misao-dono, you should head home. Your people must be very worried about you and...Where is your home, anyway?" Kenshin asked, confusedly; now curious as to why they were in what could be called the 'tourist' part of town.

"Right over there. We're here already. See?" Misao said, as she pointed out one of the buildings in front of them.

"An inn?" Tetsunosuke questioned, somewhat surprised by this twist.

"Hai. Aoiya. We're famous in Kyoto." Misao replied.

"Oh..." Kenshin murmured, also seeming a bit caught off guard about this. They watched as Misao started running towards the establishment, calling out for the old man that stood sweeping out in front of the entryway.

"Jii-ya! Hey!" Misao called, her voice getting the man's attention, and also a semi-relieved smile from him, as well.

"MISAO!!" the old man shouted, as he dropped his broom and held out his arms for the girl to jump into them.

"I'm home!" Misao cried, as she hugged him, and he held her close.

"And so you are!" the old man said, then added, as he started squeezing her, "You took so long, we were terrified!"

"Gomen, gomen! I was...delayed." Misao said, then started yelping when the old man began to squeeze her even harder than before.

"This is for scaring me!" the old man crowed, as he cracked her back a few times.

"Ooh. Mad. Very." Kenshin muttered, as he watched the display of 'tender' affection from a safe distance.

"You think?" Tetsunosuke added, also keeping his distance, yet smirking when he thought of how his own brother would have done much the same thing, years ago.

"So...You two walked our Misao home?" the old man asked, finally turning his attention to them.

"Yes, well..." Tetsunosuke began, yet was interrupted by the old man.

"Must've been hard to be with her." the old man chortled, with a grin.

"It wasn't just hard, it was awful!" Kenshin replied, with an abashed smile of his own. And yet, they watched with some warmth in their hearts, when the rest of Misao's 'family' rushed outside to see if what they had heard was the truth.

"_I wonder_..._will we ever see such a sight greet us in this lifetime? Or will the battle ahead be our last?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, a bit sadly; yet could only watch as one more woman stepped out of the inn, and stared at him with disbelief in her eyes.

"Tetsu...nosuke?" the woman whispered, as she approached him, uncertainly.

"How do you know my name? Have we met before?" Tetsunosuke questioned, as Kenshin gave him a look that was as confused as he now felt.

"I've...gotten better...at playing the shamisen...since the last time." the woman said, her voice just a little bit louder, and her expression just a little more hopeful. It was then that a memory briefly flitted across Tetsunosuke's mind, and his eyes widened.

"_Get a little better at the shamisen, would ya?_" a young Tetsunosuke had said, before a young girl who had been about his own age had punched him right in the face.

"Saya...is that you?" Tetsunosuke heard himself whisper, as the woman before him gave him a tearful smile, and then launched herself at him.

"Tetsunosuke!" Saya sobbed, as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"S-saya! It's you! It's really you! And you can talk!" Tetsunosuke cried, as tears suddenly made their way down his face; his relief at seeing her alive and well getting the better of him.

"A reunion she hadn't thought would ever happen...What a relief it must be for her to find that the man she'd loved so long ago is still alive." one of the other women murmured, with a tearful smile of her own, as she watched the pair wistfully.

"_Indeed it is. Tetsu seems to have found a piece of himself, just now. Even more of a reason to fight and protect this era of peace._" Kenshin mused, then said "Aa. Now, if you'll excuse..." He was stopped from going anywhere by the old man.

"Hold on, you! I haven't thanked either of you yet." the old man stated, real warmth returning to his eyes when he saw just how happy Saya now was, and how Tetsunosuke didn't seem to want to leave her side again.

"Shiro and Kuro will make you both their best dinner tonight. You'll love it!" Misao stated, with an easy smile.

"She's asking you both to stay." the old man murmured, then added, "Please, make yourselves at home, Himura Battousai-dono, Ichimura Peacemaker-dono." Kenshin and Tetsunosuke could only give the old man looks of unease; how had he known who they were?.!

"Even if you hide your scars, those who can tell, can tell." the old man said, as he gave both rurouni an appraising look.

"Old man..." Kenshin said, tensely, and as Tetsunosuke gripped Saya's shoulders protectively.

"We'll talk details inside. Please, come in." the old man stated, as he nodded to Saya, and as she led the two rurouni into the inn. Kenshin could only smile softly when he noticed that Saya now held the younger rurouni's hand, and sensed her determination to keep him near her, now that she'd found him again.

"Tell me, sir, how did Saya come to be here? How is it that she can talk now? How long has she been here?" Tetsunosuke asked, his own voice rather soft, as he gently gripped Saya's hand in his. The old man chuckled warmly.

"We found her wandering around in the street about ten years ago. Apparently she had been looking for you, Ichimura-dono, and gotten lost. We found her and took her in. Since she was a little ill at the time, we gave her some of our medicine, and it not only cured her of her ailment, but also her voice as well." the old man replied, honestly.

"Then I am deeply indebted to you, for all you have done for her. I...honestly hadn't thought that she had survived...I thought she'd died during the last years of the Bakumatsu, and I took to the path of a rurouni without even thinking to look..." Tetsunosuke murmured, then gave Saya a soft look, "I'm sorry for making you worry, Saya."

"It's okay...I'm just glad to see you again." Saya answered, with a smile.

"While you three were on the road, did Misao mention the Oniwabanshu Onmitsu?" the old man asked.

"She did." Tetsunosuke replied, as realization crossed Kenshin's face.

"You're..." Kenshin murmured, and got a nod from the old man as an answer.

"As you suspect. I, Kashiwazaki Nenji, was a member of the Oniwabanshu during the Bakumatsu. I was the spy called 'Okina'." the old man said, proudly, then began to explain himself even further, "When the black ships led by Perry came to Uraga in the third year of Kaei, the former Okashira quickly realized that this incident would raise questions between the emperor and the nobles about the control of Japan. What he foresaw was that Kyoto would be the center of the struggle, and sent me in to build an information network of our own. Aoiya was opened as the headquarters for this network. But, ironically, the Edo government fell first. After the revolution, it served only as a place for our comrades to run to."

"Ah, then that's why Aoshi left Misao-dono here." Kenshin said, quietly; his tone hinting at the bad news he had to tell Okina.

"You know of Aoshi-sama...?" Okina asked; sensing that there was something the elder rurouni had to tell him.

"There's something you should know..." Kenshin murmured, gravely. As he began to retell what had happened before Tetsunosuke has arrived in Tokyo, the younger Wolf could only imagine what was going through Saya's and Okina's minds about this.

"_It's bad enough to learn of a comrade's death_..._It's even worse when so many die at one time, and then their leader goes missing. It's very similar to what happened with the Shinsengumi, in the end._" Tetsunosuke thought, as he looked aside and gazed at Saya. In his absence, she had become a very beautiful woman...but she'd chosen to wait for him, instead of finding another. An honor he wasn't certain he truly deserved.

"_I wonder if Saito-san felt this way, when he met Tokio-san?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, his mind returning to the matter at hand, when Okina spoke again.

"...Is that right? Hannya and the rest dead...Aoshi-sama missing..." Okina murmured, sadly, as he lowered his head in grief.

"If it might be kept from Misao-dono for just a while longer..." Kenshin said, as he got a grave nod from Okina for that.

"Yes...that might be best." Okina agreed, then gave both rurouni a critical look, "By the way, Battou...I mean, Himura-dono, the reason you've shown up in Kyoto for the first time in ten years wouldn't have anything to do with your successor, Shishio Makoto, would it?"

"What if it does?" Tetsunosuke asked, quietly, when Kenshin didn't respond. Okina only offered them a tense look.

"The network we built then is still alive. Whatever goes on in Kyoto, both in front and behind the scenes, I know. It's kind of like...a hobby, now. When I heard that that man was still alive, and up to suspicious deeds in Kyoto, I didn't believe it. But, now that you two have come, it's a different story." Okina said, then stood up and gave both rurouni a brave smile, "So, for bringing our Misao back safely, reuniting our Saya with her beloved, and for witnessing the end of the Oniwabanshu, I shall extend my friendship to you!"

"ORO?!" was all Kenshin and Tetsunosuke could think to say, at this point, while Saya only giggled at their reaction to Okina's spontaneous declaration.

"I like the Kyoto of today! Once again, I will stand up to protect this city!" Okina stated, as an almost manic look crossed his face.

"W-wait a second...!" Tetsunosuke stammered, stunned by this development.

"Don't you worry about Aoiya. Shiro, Kuro, Okon, Omasu, are all ex-Oniwabanshu, and young Saya has been trained by them! They can easily defend Misao and themselves." Okina reassured them.

"Saya...is an Onmitsu too?" Tetsunosuke asked, almost too shocked to even think clearly, at this point. Okina nodded and beamed with pride.

"Hai. She had become one of the strongest kunoichi I have ever seen. So have no fear for her safety, Ichimura-dono." Okina replied. Tetsunosuke could almost hear Okita, Yamanami, and even Hijikata snickering at his expense, and sighed. He now knew exactly how Saito must have felt!

"Still..." Kenshin tried to say, yet was stopped by Okina before he could even say another word otherwise.

"I won't hear another word! After all, I'm the one who'd raised Misao." Okina said, cheerfully.

"I knew we were doomed...I didn't even need Saito-san's sixth sense to know that..." Tetsunosuke muttered, as Kenshin 'Oro-ed' his agreement.

"Weird...yet strangely persuasive..." Kenshin mumbled.

"You've got it." Okina laughed; seeing that he'd won the two travelers' trust.

"Then...your offer is accepted...with one condition." Kenshin said, hesitantly; after a few moments of regaining his dignity and calm.

"Anything you'd like." Okina responded, amiably.

"Might your information network search for a couple of people?" Kenshin asked; getting a confused and even curious look from Tetsunosuke for that.

"Search? Yes." Okina replied, eager to be of some help to them.

"All right...Arai Shakku and Hiko Seijuro. Find them...as soon as you can." Kenshin murmured, and got a nod from Okina before the older man made to give the message to one of the other onmitsu.

"Consider it done." Okina stated, then left the trio there to attend to his task.

"I'll go and get some rooms ready for you. I'll be right back." Saya said, gently, then left Tetsunosuke's side to go about her own task. After a few moments of silence, Tetsunosuke then gave Kenshin a wondering look.

"Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke said, to get the elder rurouni's attention.

"Yes?" Kenshin replied, and looked his friend in the eye.

"I have heard of Arai Shakku...but have never heard the name Hiko Seijuro before. Who is he?" Tetsunosuke asked; his curiosity now piqued as to why Kenshin wanted to seek this man out. Kenshin gave him an almost sad smile, and lowered his gaze in shame.

"Hiko Seijuro is the man who had taught sessha swordsmanship." Kenshin stated, as he and Tetsunosuke began to walk towards the hallway where Saya had gone.

"Did you want to let him know that you're still alive? Is that why you asked to find out about him?" Tetsunosuke questioned.

"Not exactly. Shishou could care less whether sessha had lived or died, at this point." Kenshin sighed; the weight in his heart was one Tetsunosuke was very familiar with.

"You left his side before you could complete your training...and got involved in a war that he might've felt wasn't your concern." Tetsunosuke murmured, knowing he'd hit the nail on the head when Kenshin flinched.

"That's pretty much what he'd said, before sessha joined the Ishin Shishi...and he was right. Sessha was too young...too headstrong...idealistic...naive..." Kenshin admitted, painfully; yet was surprised when Tetsunosuke placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him an understanding look.

"Then that makes two of us. We both entered that war as young, naive boys...and left the bloodstained battlefields as soul-scarred men. We've both been to hell and back, and got the scorch-marks to prove it." Tetsunosuke said, letting his friend know that his support could be counted on, in the days ahead.

"Aa. Though...if Shishou is found...and you come along to meet him...sessha can only wonder what he is going to make of our similarities..." Kenshin muttered, as he remembered Megumi's reaction to Tetsunosuke, that first night.

"Well, at worst, he'll think he's either drunk, or going insane...At best, he'll probably mistake me for your long-lost brother." Tetsunosuke stated; chuckling when Kenshin's expression deadpanned.

"That is what sessha is afraid of." Kenshin grumbled, as Saya returned to show them to their rooms; only halfway listening as the woman then told them how to find the bathhouse from there, and where they would be having dinner that night.

"_The days ahead are definitely going to be interesting_..._Of that I have no doubt._" Tetsunosuke mused, yet could only wonder what else fate had in store for them.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Sorry if this most recent chapter didn't make too much sense! Hope it was all right, otherwise!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	17. To Guard the Future

Chapter Seventeen: To Guard the Future

Tetsunosuke could only breathe a slight sigh, as he gazed at the ceiling above him. Despite having felt tired enough to sleep the whole night, uneasiness had prevented him from doing so.

"You also, Tetsu?" Kenshin asked, from across the room, as he entered and sat down against the wall.

"Yeah. My first night back in Kyoto after ten years, and sleep is as hard to come by now, as it had been back then." Tetsunosuke replied, somberly, as he sat up in his futon and pushed the covers aside.

"Sessha understands what you mean. There's too many bad memories in this city...Ghosts that can never be exorcized, no matter how hard some may try." Kenshin murmured, thoughtfully, as dawn began to brighten the room a little bit.

"Indeed...Though, when I first met Saito-san, over ten years ago, I thought he could." Tetsunosuke muttered, with a slight chuckle.

"Oro? Why would Saito hunt ghosts? Sessha thought he was only interested in living opponents." Kenshin said, confusedly.

"You remember when he gave Eiji's parents their last rites in Shingetsu Village, don't you?" Tetsunosuke asked. Kenshin nodded, yet still looked perplexed.

"When I first met him, Saito-san did the same thing on a day-to-day basis, when he was not on patrol. He also had the ability to see and talk to the dead." Tetsunosuke stated, then silently added, "_An ability I seem to have picked up_..."

"Very strange..." Kenshin muttered.

"Heh, if you think that's bad, there were moments when he could cloak his ki so well, that even the most sensitive swordsman in the Shinsengumi couldn't feel him, and then he would pop out of nowhere and scare several years out of that man's life." Tetsunosuke said; allowing himself a slight snicker when Kenshin's expression deadpanned.

"Did he ever manage to do it to you?" Kenshin questioned. Tetsunosuke could only give him a dry look in response.

"How do you think I know what he could and would do while at headquarters?" Tetsunosuke murmured, not even bothering to twist the facts around to salve his own ego. Kenshin chuckled and shook his head. The moment was disrupted when Misao and Okina pushed open the door to Tetsunosuke's room.

"Thought you guys would be talking! Did you sleep okay?" Misao asked, cheerfully.

"Somewhat." Tetsunosuke said, as he got up and stretched. It was then that Kenshin noticed that the young kunoichi was wearing a different outfit from the one she'd been wearing when they'd found her.

"Misao-dono, that outfit..." Kenshin murmured, seemingly surprised by how drab it was, compared to her other outfit.

"Hai! In Kyoto, these are my street clothes. I can't be walking around in my ninja outfit all the time, you know!" Misao replied, not at all phased by the elder rurouni's half-spoken comment.

"If you two are ready, Himura-kun, Ichimura-kun, then let's go. Kyoto's changed a lot in ten years. I'll spend the day showing you around, and we'll even grab lunch at the local beef hot-pot 'Shirobeko', if you'd like." Okina offered, as he led the way down the hall.

"Okina-dono, a moment please." Kenshin said, yet went unheard by the stubborn pair, as Misao excitedly bounced along beside the older warrior.

"It would be foolhardy to just simply stroll around in midday, Okina-san. Shishio's men could come at any time and attack." Tetsunosuke stated, concernedly.

"Shishio is your's and Himura-kun's opponent. You can run and you can hide, but eventually he'll find you." Okina pointed out, casually.

"But...!" Kenshin tried to say, yet was once again interrupted.

"Himura-kun, you and Ichimura-kun fight Shishio for the sake of the people of this country. Walk with pride! That's how righteous men live." Okina said, as he gave the two rurouni a slight grin from over his shoulder.

"Even me? A former Wolf of Mibu, and page of Hijikata Toshizo?" Tetsunosuke asked, and got a nod from Okina for an answer.

"Yes. Even you." Okina confirmed, his smile not diminishing in the slightest. As the older man walked on, Tetsunosuke couldn't help but feel his spirits lift slightly. Even though he was so close to where some of his more tragic memories had taken place, to actually hear those words from someone within the city was enough to help him regain his resolve.

"Hey guys, I have something to tell you." Misao whispered, when the old man was far enough away from them so she wouldn't be heard.

"Oro?" Kenshin replied, confusedly, and as Tetsunosuke gave the girl an equally confused look.

"A long time ago, Jii-ya was so strong, he was expected to be the next okashira of the Oniwabanshu. But Jii-ya said 'It's time for the younger generation to take charge' and recommended Aoshi-sama, instead. He then volunteered to be okashira of Kyoto Intelligence...Though he may be a nut job, now." Misao informed, as the old man's cheerful laughter echoed back to them through the quite hallways. Then Okina abruptly turned and glanced back at the two rurouni.

"Oh, yeah, about the people you're looking for, Himura-kun, I made arrangements during the night." Okina stated, and got a nod from Kenshin

"_Oh boy_..._Here it comes_..._the Itachi is about to attack again_..." Tetsunosuke thought, as he sidled away from the young kunoichi.

"People? Who? Wha...?" Misao asked, curiously.

"It has nothing to do with you." Kenshin retorted; getting jumped on by an instantly angry Misao for his troubles.

"WHAT KINDA CRACK IS THAT?!" Misao snapped, in a volume loud enough that Tetsunosuke was certain that even people in Tokyo had heard her.

"_I hope Saya hasn't picked up that kind of temper, during my absence_..." Tetsunosuke mused, shrugging when Kenshin gave him an accusing look, and giving him an almost sheepish grin. Yet he turned to look when he sensed Okina's ki shift slightly, and when he spoke to Kenshin again.

"Himura-kun. We've found one of the people you're looking for. To be more precise...we've confirmed his death." Okina murmured. Tetsunosuke could almost feel when Kenshin's heart plummeted to his feet, and could guess what was going through his friend's mind.

"_Has his master passed away?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as Kenshin steeled himself for the rest of the news Okina had to tell him.

"Arai Shakku, the swordsmith who had forged your sakabatou, died eight years ago." Okina said; noticing when a slight sigh of relief escaped from between Kenshin's lips, yet his tense expression remained.

"_I know the feeling, my friend. I felt the same way, before Saito-san reappeared. What a relief it is to know that his master is still alive!_" Tetsunosuke mused, yet felt some disappointment as well. How were they going to get Kenshin's replacement sakabatou forged now?

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Most of the walk to Arai Shakku's home was quiet, as the four people made their way there. Even Misao was strangely silent.

"Arai Shakku. He was a highly honored weapons-maker during the Bakumatsu, but, as the years went by, he devoted himself not to 'blades that cut' but to 'blades that kill', and was thereafter shunned by the rest of the sword-crafting community." Okina finally said; breaking the oppressive silence that had settled on them.

"A smith who specialized in killing swords forged the sakabatou?" Tetsunosuke asked, with confusion all too evident on his young face.

"I don't get it either." Misao murmured, for once agreeing with the younger Wolf about this. And yet, Okina still gave Kenshin a slight smile.

"A man's life can sometimes be quite contradictory...Wouldn't you agree, Himura-kun?" Okina asked, then continued when he got no response from the elder rurouni.

"According to our sources, Shakku has one son to whom he taught everything he knew. He was expected to become a swordsmith himself...But, in the Meiji era, he couldn't make a living at that, so he sells tools like scythes and knives to support himself. Shakku's son, is Arai Seiku. Perhaps this man can craft a new sakabatou!" Okina said, hopefully, as they approached the smithy where the Arai family lived. Yet they were in for a surprise. Behind the counter of the shop where some knives were displayed, a two-year-old boy sat; cooing happily when he saw them approach.

"Seiku...?" Kenshin asked, as he exchanged confused and stunned glances with Okina, Misao, and Tetsunosuke.

"What the...?" Okina muttered; as dumbfounded as the two men and young woman beside him. Had the information been wrong?

"Shake...shake?" the toddler asked, as he reached out to them. With soft smiles, both Kenshin and Tetsunosuke gently took the toddler's hands in each of their own, and shook them in greeting.

"_Imagine that_..._this little guy doesn't even realize that he's shaking hands with two of the most feared men from the Bakumatsu_..._And yet there's no fear of us at all within him. I wonder if I was ever this trusting?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, looking up when a woman came outside and gave the child a slightly flustered look.

"Now, Iori, don't bother them." the woman softly said, as the toddler happily greeted her as well.

"He's no bother at all." Tetsunosuke said, with an honest smile in his red-brown eyes. The woman seemed a bit surprised by this, then returned her attention to the task at hand.

"Welcome. What may I help you with?" the woman asked, eager to help them with whatever they might need.

"If a kitchen knife might be presented, and given a brief test of the edge?" Kenshin questioned, much to the surprise of his companions.

"Sure." the woman agreed, as she handed a knife to him.

"What're you going to test it on, Kenshin? Did you bring something with you?" Tetsunosuke asked; yet got only a slight conspiratorial glance from him as a response...before Kenshin pulled what appeared to be a horseradish from his gi!

"_You have __got__ to be kidding me! When did he_..._? How did he_..._? And why didn't a notice it before?.!_" Tetsunosuke wondered, confused to say the least. Yet he could only watch in added wonder as Kenshin swiftly cut the radish in two with the knife, then, seconds later, put it back together again; the two halves becoming one with no sign of the cut!

"A 'reversing cut'...First time I've seen it." Okina muttered, in amazement, as he held the radish in his hands and marveled at what he'd just seen.

"Same here. I've heard of it, but never seen it done." Tetsunosuke agreed, equally as mystified by this.

"By cutting without damaging the structure, the halves can be put back together. It's possible only when an expert swordsman cuts with the finest of blades...and, if that's possible with a kitchen knife, I'd have to say that Shakku's son is good." Okina murmured.

"Whoa! Too good! The new sakabatou has to be made by Arai Seiku!" Misao shouted; glaring at Tetsunosuke when he shielded his ear from her loud voice.

"Madam, might Seiku-dono be available?" Kenshin asked, in his usual politeness.

"Hai..." the woman replied, a little uncertainly.

"If Seiku-dono might craft a sword...it would be fine, indeed, de gozaru." Kenshin said, agreeing with Misao, on that point.

"Hai. But..." the woman hesitantly said, then looked aside at the man that was just coming over to join them.

"Hello...I am Arai Seiku." the man almost timidly said, when he was close enough to be heard.

"You're Seiku? You don't seem like him." Misao said, confusedly.

"_The 'Itachi' is right about that. The poor fellow looks almost as though he could be afraid of his own shadow._" Yamanami's voice said, not unkindly, in the back of Tetsunosuke's mind.

"_I can only agree with you on that one, Yamanami-san._" Tetsunosuke silently stated, and returned his attention to what was going on before him.

"I hear that a lot." Seiku said, abashedly, then continued, "I heard your story from outside. It seems that you'd like me to forge a sword, but...I apologize. I have quit making swords. You'll have to go elsewhere."

"WHAT?!" Misao snarled, actually getting the man to cringe away from her in response.

"Gomen, gomen! Help!" Seiku shouted, and sighed in relief when Okina temporarily muzzled the furious teen.

"May we hear your reason?" Okina asked, quietly, even while Misao growled under his restraining hand.

"If you've come to get a sword out of me...then you must know that my father, Shakku, created weapons of death. Father used to say, all the time, that 'the swords I make will create a new age'. But I didn't like my father's philosophy. Those swords intended to create the new age took countless people's lives. What kind of age does one forge from human blood? That, I could never understand." Seiku murmured.

"Understandable, Seiku-san." Tetsunosuke agreed, nodding for the quieter man to continue.

"It was a terrible time then, so perhaps it couldn't be helped...but this is Meiji. An age of peace, at last. The samurai have given up their swords, so, similarly, I have given up sword-making. I've decided to live peacefully, crafting tools for a living." Seiku added, his soft voice and honest face making him seem even less like a swordsmith than before.

"I see. Unlike your father, your philosophy is peace." Okina stated.

"I don't know about philosophy...but I do like peace. Doesn't everyone?" Seiku asked, with a slight smile.

"Watch out. The rabid Itachi is about to strike again." Tetsunosuke mumbled, when Misao yowled at the man again.

"Baka! You are so naive! 'Doesn't everyone'?.! This city's full of people who...!" Misao growled, yet was restrained again; not by Okina, this time, but by Kenshin!

"Understood, Seiku-dono. Sorry to have asked. We'll be leaving now." Kenshin said, and turned to do just that, and Tetsunosuke did the same.

"'Leaving'?.! Himura! Hey!" Misao whined; yet stopped when Kenshin spoke in a low, soft voice.

"From his heart, what Seiku-dono wishes for is peace. Even if it is a sakabatou and not for killing, it is still a weapon. It would be wrong to ask him to craft such a thing." Kenshin murmured, as a smile appeared on his youthful features.

"Yeah. We'll just start over in our search for a sakabatou." Tetsunosuke agreed, even as Kenshin gave him a slight disbelieving look.

"Weren't you in agreement with Saito about sessha getting a katana?" Kenshin asked.

"Kenshin, what I don't want to see is you returning to how you were in the fight in the dojo. Not only would she end up losing someone she obviously cares for, but I would lose one of my first true comrades after a decade of being a lone Wolf. As I had said before, we may have been enemies in the past, but we emerged from that hell with our souls intact...and became allies afterwards. You need that sakabatou to keep your sanity, and we'll find you one." Tetsunosuke replied, honestly.

"Thanks, Tetsu. Sessha appreciates it." Kenshin said, pleased that he had at least the younger rurouni's support in his decision. And yet, even with the ghosts of the Shinsengumi watching, they couldn't begin to guess that what was about to happen would force Kenshin's hand in the worst way imaginable.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"_Tetsu?_" Okita's voice asked, later that same afternoon.

"_What's up, Okita-san?_" Tetsunosuke replied, as he sat on the porch just outside of his room in the Aoiya.

"_There's something you should know_..." Okita said, as his spectral form appeared beside the younger rurouni, and sat down.

"_What's wrong? You look worried, Okita-san._" Tetsunosuke stated, as some worry appeared on his face.

"_As you know, Saito-san is still alive_..._yet, there is one other that you've been worrying about that hasn't appeared here, either._" Okita murmured, hesitantly.

"_Do you mean Tatsu?_" Tetsunosuke asked, as some hope emerged from within him.

"_Yes_..._But I've got some bad news, Tetsu. Please bear with me as I tell it. Okay?_" Okita said, his tone chilling Tetsunosuke slightly, yet he nodded nonetheless. Just as Okita began to open his mouth, Kenshin suddenly burst out of the room.

"Tetsu! Get ready to go! Seiku-dono's son has been kidnapped!" Kenshin shouted; the urgency in his voice prompting Tetsunosuke to leap to his feet and dash off alongside the elder rurouni.

"_Tetsu_..." Okita whispered, as he watched both young men rush headlong into the danger; not caring at all about their own lives, and hoping they got to the shrine in time to save Shakku Arai's grandson from a horrible death.

"_Never again! I will never let another child die by a sword! Never again!_" Tetsunosuke silently swore, as he pushed his body to the limit; unconsciously matching Kenshin's speed with his own.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The helpless crying of a frightened baby could be heard quite easily, as his kidnapper climbed the stairs to the Hakusan Shrine.

"I've wasted too much time. Kyoto's roads are so confusing." the tall, blond-haired man grumbled, then allowed a slight grin to cross his face, "'Shakku's last sword'. I wonder what sort of killing masterpiece it is?"

"We're going to make sure you never find out, yarou." a man's voice snarled, prompting the blond-haired kidnapper into looking up. There, standing before him, were two almost identical-looking men; their bright red hair shining in the sunlight.

"Gojaru!" Iori chirped, as a smile appeared on his face. The kidnapper stood stock still for a moment, and took in the other details he'd missed before; both men carried swords at their waists!

"I'm guessing that neither of you are pilgrims here. Who are you?" the kidnapper asked; watching as one of the men removed what appeared to be a bandage from his face, revealing a cross-shaped scar as he did so. The other man merely reached up to the right side of his own face, and felt what looked to be an old sword-scar of his own. Both men's eyes were now tinged with bright gold.

"A scar...like a cross..." the kidnapper murmured.

"Let the boy go." the elder of the two men demanded, angrily.

"A scar like a cross on your left cheek...This means you're Hitokiri Battousai...that makes your friend there the infamous 'Peacemaker', then." the kidnapper muttered.

"What's it to you?" the younger redhead growled; hackles raised when he saw Iori get carelessly swung around by the blond-haired man.

"You're both a lot smaller than I'd thought...almost girlish. Ah well. So, you're after Shakku's last sword, too?" the kidnapper asked, ignoring the younger redhead's words, completely.

"No. Sessha seeks a different blade. If it's Shakku's sword you're after, then go ahead and take it...but let the boy go first." Kenshin said, as he placed a restraining hand on Tetsunosuke's shoulder; knowing how angry this was making him, and trying his best to talk their way out of a fight.

"Trying to avoid a fight, are you? I'm not surprised. The sakabatou you depended on is broken, so you're now afraid to fight me." the kidnapper sneered; trying his best to bait Kenshin into a battle.

"If you must fight someone, yarou, then fight me. Leave Kenshin and the boy out of this." Tetsunosuke snarled, as he gripped the hilts of his katanas firmly.

"Tetsu. Don't." Kenshin commanded, his tone of voice breaking through the rising ire within the younger Wolf.

"But Kenshin...!" Tetsunosuke hissed, "This yarou will kill the boy before you can even get your hands on him!"

"This is sessha's fight, Tetsu. Don't worry. Sessha will find a way to win." Kenshin whispered, then added, "Just be ready to move in and rescue Iori when the opportunity arises."

"Right. I'll trust you on this one." Tetsunosuke murmured, reluctantly; knowing that Kenshin was right, yet having a hard time convincing himself, regardless.

"I don't see any fun in beating someone who can't fight back...and Shishio-sama has said, when facing an enemy, that I either kill him or I die. And..." the kidnapper said, as he flung the sheath of his sword (the one Iori's bundle had been tied to) upwards, and as the bundle snagged some branches in a tree above them, "Even when I do get the sword, how much fun will it be without something to test the edge on? I can't think of anything I have wanted to cut more...So sorry, I reject your demand. A fair fight, huh?"

"You know of the broken sword, and you took a hostage...Yet you still have the gall to call that 'fair'? You twisted yarou." Tetsunosuke growled, with barely restrained rage.

"Oh, I'm not so twisted." the kidnapper sneered, as he unsheathed one of his swords, "I just have a sense of humor!" With a wild lunge, the blond-haired swordsman attacked the two rurouni; Tetsunosuke leaping to the far side of the shrine's courtyard to avoid the attack, and Kenshin parrying the blow with what remained of his sakabatou and its sheath.

"If you wish to get in with a thrust, come with something better than Saito's Gatotsu, and Tetsu's Kiba Tokkan." Kenshin murmured darkly, before launching an attack of his own, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ryu Kan Sen!" Tetsunosuke watched with satisfaction as the sheath's impact broke several of the swords on the blond swordsman's back, then looked up at Iori.

"Hang tough, kid. I'll be there in just a moment." Tetsunosuke assured him, as he carefully started to approach the tree where his bundle now hung.

"Gojaru!" Iori replied, his smile returning when he saw that help was coming.

"You're better than you look, Battousai. That would've been ugly without my beloved swords on my back." the kidnapper stated, as he got up, "And your friend did a whole lot better than I'd thought he would, by dodging and getting out of your way. But I must say...these weapons of mine bring a very high price." As the two rurouni watched, the blond swordsman started to take apart two of his swords, and then put them together again as one!

"This is an earlier sword of Shakku's...Renbatou, 'Repeater'. Two wounds so close together are hard to sew up. So, even if I don't hit a vital spot, I leave a wound that festers until disease kills you!" the kidnapper shouted, as he again rushed at the two wary warriors before him. To his surprise, Tetsunosuke was the one who countered him, this time.

"I was told to stay out of this fight, but it seems you've dragged me into it, after all...If this is all you are, then you are unworthy of even Aku Soku Zan...Nibai Okami Kiba!" Tetsunosuke howled, as he sent the taller man flying; the power of his move rivaling Kenshin's Ryu Sho Sen.

"_His strength is impressive_..._It makes me wonder what else he might be able to do._" Kenshin mused, as he then looked over at Iori.

"Gomen, Iori. Looks like this might take a bit longer." Kenshin said, apologetically, as he sensed the blond swordsman get to his feet again.

"Guess I've been...fooling around too much. But if you both disrespect me again, I'll start by slicing that damn kid in half!" the blond swordsman threatened, and got two icy glares from the rurouni in front of him for that.

"Try it, and I'll slice you into so many pieces, no one will know what you were." Tetsunosuke snarled; his tone deadly.

"So, you've got battle faces too, eh? How cruel of you to have kept them hidden for so long. If you'd shown them from the beginning, I wouldn't have held back either." the swordsman said, as he removed his haori; revealing what appeared to be steel belts around his waist.

"So that's what stopped Tetsu's attack..." Kenshin murmured; knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that things were about to get ugly. He could sense when Okina, Misao, and Iori's parents arrived, and when alarm filled Seiku.

"The sword he has around his waist! It's a killing sword my father created in his later days, back at the pinnacle of his skill!" Seiku suddenly shouted; trying to warn the two rurouni of the threat before it could strike.

"They call me 'Sword-hunter Cho'. Now, see my true skill." the blond swordsman growled, as he quickly unwound the 'steel belt' from around his waist, and sent it's tip flying towards the back of Kenshin's head.

"Look out!" Tetsunosuke yelped, as he caught the sword's tip between his blades just long enough for Kenshin to get out of the way.

"Well?.! This is my favorite sword of all! 'Hakujin' The Thin One!" Cho sneered, as he deftly twisted the blade out of Tetsunosuke's grasp, and drove the point into his right leg! Gritting his teeth against the sudden, fiery pain, Tetsunosuke leaped back again; aware that Kenshin and the rest had seen it happen, and were concerned for him.

"Ichimura!" Misao shouted, voicing her alarm.

"The sword called 'Hakujin' was forged as thin as possible without losing it's strength. The tip of the blade was made slightly heavier, allowing the wielder to manipulate the blade with a small turn of the wrist. With that leg, dodging the Thin One's instant changes of direction is not possible..." Seiku murmured, as he watched Kenshin move to Tetsunosuke's side, and quickly shoulder his weight. They could all tell when Cho noticed that they were there, and he smirked in some satisfaction at this.

"I haven't had an audience in a long time. Let's get to the climax." Cho said, as he readjusted his grip on the hilt of the Hakujin, and let his leering grin widen, "'Orochi' pose. Take this." With a mighty whipping motion, he sent the blade singing through the air towards the two rurouni; feeling some satisfaction when Kenshin's sheath was cut in half when he tried to block it.

"Nice move! Too bad there's more." Cho said, as he sent the blade at them again.

"Don't worry about me. Get moving! I'll hold the damn thing off on my own." Tetsunosuke stubbornly said; hissing as he put weight back on his leg, and then rushing in the opposite direction.

"_Can't keep this up for too much longer. This wound feels deep._" Tetsunosuke thought; the pain almost making him black out, before his leg gave out from under him again. He stiffened when he heard Kenshin gasp in pain, and knew that the Hakujin had injured him as well.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"_I knew it. They have no chance. Then_..._Iori will_..." Seiku thought, grimly, as only one choice presented itself to him, and he took on step forward.

"Anata?" Seiku's wife asked, worriedly.

"Let's give up Father's sword. Let's just save Iori...and leave this battlefield as soon as we can. The one with the Osaka dialect is focused on the battle. That'll give us our chance to grab Iori!" Seiku murmured, much to the surprise of those around him.

"Using Himura and Ichimura as bait? They know that Himura can't fight without his sword, but they both rushed over here to save that boy!" Misao said, angrily; completely taken aback by Seiku's cowardice.

"It's not like we asked them to. They are fighting on their own." Seiku softly replied; earning him a furious glare from the teenaged kunoichi in response. Yet, before Misao could strike him, Okina placed a placating hand on her shoulder.

"Seiku-san, I am like a father to this girl. I understand that our children come first...But can you not understand, why Himura-kun and Ichimura-kun are fighting?" Okina asked, as they watched the two men bravely face Cho; one without a sword, and one with two blades that he was desperately trying to keep in his own hands.

"You don't give up. Your courage is starting to become pathetic." they heard Cho say, when he had both rurouni down and bleeding before him. He got nothing but resolute stares from both men.

"Those eyes annoy me." Cho growled, then added, "Don't you get it? The game's over, you know. Why sacrifice your lives for one worthless child?"

"Years ago...in the name of country, many lives were taken." Kenshin murmured, as he forced himself to his feet again.

"Bragging now? Ha! Reminiscing on past glories?" Cho asked, derisively.

"No. Far from it." Tetsunosuke growled, as he also got back to his feet; his face paling when his full weight was on his injured leg again.

"So many battles...so much bloodshed...Never undone. Now we've reached a new era...for the moment. The time for peace has come. So much so...that a child may grow knowing nothing of the battles and bloodshed." Kenshin said, his tone soft, yet easily heard by all.

"He may be worthless to you, yarou, but, to us, who have seen too much tragedy in such a short lifetime, he is a child of an age that must not be destroyed. Even if it costs us our lives, we'll return Iori to his parents." Tetsunosuke added, then glanced at Seiku; the look in his eyes giving the worried father a signal to move in and grab the child.

"Feh. You act like some kind of heroes; making me the 'bad guy'. Now I am annoyed." Cho growled, "All right, let's end it now. I'll create a new world...with my swords! And under Shishio-sama, rest in peace."

"You will not. Sorry, but you won't." Kenshin retorted, then added, "An era is not created by swords, but by the people who wield them." With a jolt, Seiku then realized what he had to do, and raced away from his wife, and the two onmitsu.

"Anata!" Seiku's wife yelped.

"He's...!" Misao also shouted, in alarm.

"No! Wait!" Okina called, desperately trying to get the man to come back.

"Hang on, Iori! We'll save you! Just hang on!" Seiku cried, as he raced towards the shrine itself.

"The audience isn't allowed on stage!" Cho roared, and sent the Hakujin screaming towards Seiku...only to have it diverted by the hilt of the broken sakabatou!

"_Hiryu Sen! Perfect timing!_" Tetsunosuke thought, grateful that Kenshin had had a move like that in his arsenal.

"You're all annoying!" Cho angrily snarled, as he focused his attention on both of the rurouni again.

"Your fight is with us, yarou. Don't forget that." Tetsunosuke said, as he and Kenshin stood side-by-side, ready for the next strike.

"I'm not letting you go, now! My rage soars! Look at my head! This is the 'Hair of Heavenly Fire'!" Cho snapped, only to get a very Saito-esque smirk from Tetsunosuke for that comment.

"Looks more like the 'Hair of Insane Broom' to me." Tetsunosuke said, smartly; inwardly snickering when the trio that could be seen, and even the ghosts of the Shinsengumi (namely Okita, Yamanami, and Hijikata, respectively) nodded in agreement.

"Broom! Broom!" Iori laughed; adding to the hilarity of the moment.

"_I like that kid already._" Hijikata muttered, as he gave the toddler an approving glance.

"_I think we can all agree._" Yamanami added, warmly. They all watched as Cho's rage grew in response.

"That was a joke, baka! Don't take it literally!" Cho howled, as he again charged at the two wary fighters. And yet, Cho was not prepared for when Kenshin caught the end of the Hakujin in what remained of his sword's sheath, then leaped forward as well.

"Dammit!" Cho growled, then silently added, "_Too far into his space!_" Seconds later, he felt Kenshin's elbow make a sound impact with his forehead and knock him to the ground again.

"He did it! An elbow counter-strike!" Misao cheered.

"Ichimura-kun lured him with a taunt, and drew him into one leap's distance! With no sword and a wounded leg, it was the only attack Himura-kun had! If this doesn't do it..." Okina muttered; impressed by Kenshin and Tetsunosuke's ability to work together, yet could feel some dread if the joint attack hadn't worked. A fear that was well founded.

"Close...so close. I really shouldn't take you two lightly. You made all the blood in my head recede. No more entering your space. I'll shred you both from the outside, and then throw the pieces into the Shijo River." Cho hissed, as true insanity appeared in his eyes.

"Damn...not good..." Tetsunosuke growled, as he gripped his twin katanas even tighter than he had before.

"There's no hope for victory, now. If there's a way to escape the situation with all of us unharmed..." Okina trailed off, when he saw how hopeless the situation now looked.

"_If only he had a sword!_" Misao thought, her silent prayers answered when Seiku reappeared with a sword in hand.

"Himura-san! This is Father's last blade! Take it! It's yours!" Seiku shouted, as he threw the sword to Kenshin, and the elder rurouni deftly caught it.

"_The field is even, now_..._But will Kenshin draw it?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, grimly.

"I should have killed the both of you before I went down. Oh well. Defeating you and obtaining the last blade. Two birds with one stone, hmm? Draw. Let's finish this." Cho demanded, "Both with swords. Kill or die. It's easier to understand."

"Go, Himura! It's yours now!" Misao encouraged, yet froze when she saw the doubt beginning to surface on Kenshin's face.

"He...will not draw that sword. I don't believe he can do it. Since he's sworn never to kill again, he cannot draw any sword but a sakabatou." Okina gravely stated.

"But...this is no time to be worrying about vows! If he doesn't draw it, he'll be killed! I don't know what kind of hitokiri Himura was...but so what if he kills one more?.!" Misao shouted.

"That 'one more' is the problem. Since the powerful Shishio arrived as his enemy, he's been like a pendulum...swaying back and forth between the rurouni and the hitokiri." Okina murmured, as all the color fled from Misao's face, the realization hitting like a ton of bricks.

"Hitokiri...Battousai?" Misao whispered, in a tone filled with dread. Okina nodded.

"If he draws the sword and kills now, his heart will crumble, and he will go straight down the path of an assassin. He will never be the rurouni again." Tetsunosuke added, as he limped over to where they now stood; sheathing his own swords as he did so.

"If that's the case, then why are you withdrawing? Don't you realize that he needs your help now more than ever?.!" Misao asked, angrily. Tetsunosuke only gave her a vague look of annoyance.

"Baka. How much help can I possibly be, if I pass out? I almost blacked out over there, several times in the last few minutes. I can't keep fighting, even though I want to." Tetsunosuke replied; and Misao could see just how much his leg wound was bleeding.

"_He's right. He can't keep going on an injury like that_..." Misao mused, looking up again when Cho spoke to Kenshin.

"You are Hitokiri Battousai, hmm? Why are you so afraid to kill?" Cho asked, and, when he got no response from Kenshin, continued, "All right. If you've forgotten how good it feels to kill...I'll help you to remember it...with a small demonstration." With that said, Cho returned his attention to Iori; much to the adults' horror.

"Iori!" Seiku and his wife screamed.

"I'll slice apart your 'Child of Peace' first!" Cho sneered, as he whipped the Hakujin around him and towards the toddler.

"NO!!" Tetsunosuke snarled, as he leaped back into the fray; racing the end of the blade towards its' destination, and desperately plucking the child from the branch just as Kenshin released an enraged roar of his own.

"You bought it, fools! Now I'll make you pay for making a fool out of me!" Cho cackled, as he changed the Hakujin's direction again, and made it return towards Kenshin's back. He wasn't prepared for the angered dragon's attack.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji!" Kenshin raged, as he drew the blade from it's wooden sheath, and struck with all the power and force he could muster. Seconds later, Tetsunosuke landed with Iori safely tucked in his arms, Cho hit the ground behind him, and Hitokiri Battousai stood silently beside the man he'd just brought down; his eyes glowing amber as he glared at the body.

"Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, hesitantly.

"Gojaru?" Iori echoed, as he peeked from behind one of Tetsu's arms. Slowly, Kenshin returned to himself.

"Sessha..." Kenshin whispered, his tone filled with grief at what he'd just done. After ten years, he'd just killed another man!

"Himura..." Misao started to say, trying to console him, yet pausing when she saw what kind of sword now rested in his hand.

"That sword..." Seiku muttered, in amazement.

"A sakabatou!" Misao yelped, as shocked about this as her companions were.

"What?.! Arai Shakku's last blade was also sakabatou, like the one he gave Himura-kun?.!" Okina asked.

"No. This one...fits slightly better in the palm than the last one." Kenshin murmured.

"Then that means you didn't break your promise after all, my friend. You didn't kill that yarou." Tetsunosuke said, as he handed Iori to his mother, then placed a hand on Kenshin's shoulder. Just as he said that, Cho uttered a pained growl.

"I see...Now I know why Shishio-sama would take you on...even on the eve of his Great Objective. But don't get too confident. There's still nine left in the league of the Juppongatana. Two of them...Soujiro, whom you've fought before...and Usui, who's headed this way from Ryukyu...are better than you." Cho whispered, then started to laugh, "You'll never get to Shishio-sama! You'll drown in your own helplessness and watch him take over Japan!"

"Should I?" Misao asked, irritably. Okina nodded, and handed her his cane.

"Please do." Okina muttered.

"JUSTICE!!" Misao snarled, as she smacked Cho right on the head again, and knocked him back out.

"Thank you, Makimachi, for shutting that yarou up." Tetsunosuke mumbled; getting a thumbs up from Misao for his comment.

"So, what should we do with him, now?" Misao again asked, as she turned to Okina for an answer.

"We still need information, so let's take him to Aoiya." Okina replied, coolly.

"No. Let's take him to the police. He may not be in Kyoto yet, but there is a man in charge of the Shishio Case. That'll be safer." Kenshin advised; almost smirking himself when he saw a sour look cross Misao's face, and listened as Tetsunosuke snickered as well.

"If Himura-kun says so..." Okina murmured, agreeing to go along with that idea.

"His final sword...was sakabatou. I don't understand...My father created killing tools...why would he...?" Seiku mumbled, in disbelief. Yet, as he spoke, the wooden hilt of the sword cracked apart, and the blade fell.

"There's a haiku...on the sword itself." Tetsunosuke muttered, then started to read the words out loud, "Slashing myself, I have trained countless blades. My son reviles, but for my grandson, I bleed."

"He spent many years crafting swords, feeling he was cutting himself while doing so. Even if it led to his own son reviling him, it was for the world his grandson would live in." Okina said, reverently, as Kenshin carefully picked up the blade, and gazed solemnly at it.

"Shakku left his parting words engraved on his last sword." Tetsunosuke said, quietly.

"Father must have realized...he was arrogant to think that swords could create worlds. But then, he lived in the chaos of the Bakumatsu. There was no time to stop and think in the midst of hell. As a swordsmith living in those days of blood, he kept going forward...crafting sword after sword, hoping to speed peace on its' way...against the wishes of his own heart. He'd had to live his life in irony. My father, with his deep feelings of regret and hope, left this holy sword...'Sakabatou Shinuchi'." Seiku murmured.

"Shinuchi?" Misao asked, confusedly.

"Hai. When making a holy sword, smiths usually forge not one, but two or more blades. The finest of those are called shinuchi, 'True Forge', and are offered to the god. The rest are kageuchi, 'Shadow Forge' and are usually stored or given away." Seiku's wife explained.

"I see. So there were two Sakabatou to begin with..." Okina said, as understanding filled his eyes.

"And this is the Shinuchi; meaning it's better than the original sakabatou!" Misao added.

"Please accept it, Himura-san. I think Father would have wished it." Seiku encouraged, as Kenshin gazed thoughtfully at the blade for a few long moments.

"What's it going to be, Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, even though he somewhat knew what the answer was going to be.

"Shakku-dono...Sakabatou Shinuchi...sessha gratefully accepts." Kenshin whispered, with a slight smile.

"_All that remains to be done now is to locate this 'Hiko Seijuro' person_..._Hope things go as well as this did._" Tetsunosuke mused, as they said their farewells to the Arai family...not realizing just how difficult the next step was truly going to be.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Not too pleased with the way this chapter went, but all I can say is that I hope the next one will be better (I'll be bringing Hiko in, in the next chapter, so that **__**should**__** make more sense than this chapter did). Sorry for the lousy chapter, minna!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	18. To Meet the Master

Chapter Eighteen: To Meet the Master

"YOU'RE LEAVING AOIYA?!" Misao's voice screeched, the next morning. Tetsunosuke flinched and covered his ears; he'd known only too well just what the hyperactive kunoichi's reaction was going to be at this decision. And yet, Kenshin ignored her; his concentration solely on the sword before him.

"_Good set of lungs on that one. It even woke Sagara Souzou._" Hijikata said, dryly.

"_That __is__ bad, considering how far away he'd died from here._" Tetsunosuke agreed, yet winced when Misao's head hit Kenshin's full-force.

"Calm down, calm down." Okina said, as he tried to get Misao to back off.

"Are you sure, Tetsunosuke?" Saya quietly asked. The younger rurouni nodded.

"If too much is revealed, then you'll become involved. Neither of us really wants to see that happen." Tetsunosuke explained.

"The point of leaving Tokyo was to avoid having anyone else caught up in this. The most recent event involved Seiku's family. If we were to stay, the same would happen to you." Kenshin murmured, worriedly.

"That's nothing to worry about! I got martial-arts training from Hannya himself! I'm not a baby like Iori!" Misao stated, confidently.

"Yes, you are. To Shishio and his men, Makimachi and Iori are the same...No one else should be put into that kind of danger. From now on, we battle alone." Tetsunosuke said, sternly; yet gave Saya a look that betrayed his inner feelings of fear.

"I understand. We will respect your wishes. Once we learn more of Hiko Seijuro, I'll inform you using a signal fire. It's an old method, but it works." Okina murmured, and got a nod from Kenshin in response.

"Thank you." Kenshin replied, for both him and Tetsunosuke, before they both started to walk out.

"Hey you two. Why so distant, all of a sudden? Is it because we know you're Hitokiri Battousai and the Peacemaker? You know I'm not the type to care about people's pasts. Whoever you are, the men I met weren't hitokiri or Shinsengumi...just two rurouni." Misao said, honestly; bristling when Kenshin chuckled, and Tetsunosuke gave her a wry glance over his shoulder.

"What's so funny?.!" Misao snapped, a bit angrily, yet cooled off when Kenshin explained himself.

"Someone left behind in Tokyo had said the very same things. To hear it again in Kyoto was not...expected." Kenshin softly said.

"Got that right." Tetsunosuke agreed.

"Sessha is sorry not to be able to tell you more of Aoshi." Kenshin almost sighed.

"Who needs your help? I'll find him myself." Misao muttered, with a slight blush. With that said, the two rurouni departed; heading for the outskirts of town.

"Are you sure about this, Tetsu?" Kenshin asked, as they left the inn behind them.

"Quite sure. This is the best course of action we can take, right now. Even if I had decided to stay, my doubts would have driven me out, eventually. I want Saya to stay safe, as far away from the battle to come as possible. Isn't that what you'd wanted for Kaoru-san, as well?" Tetsunosuke asked.

"Yes." Kenshin responded. They both ignored Misao when she shouted after them.

"Hey, Himura! Ichimura! You told Eiji from Shingetsu Village to 'be happy'. The same thing goes for you two as well! I won't let either of you get away with being miserable, just 'cause you wouldn't ask for help! And don't you forget it, bakas!" Misao yelled, at their retreating backs.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Tetsunosuke reclined in the shade of some trees and gazed quietly at the afternoon sky. It had been three days since their departure from the Aoiya, and still no 'word' on Kenshin's master.

"_Hope the guy's still alive. It would be too cruel an irony if he'd died eight years ago, as well._" Tetsunosuke mused, darkly.

"_He's alive, don't worry._" Okita reassured, from his spot next to Tetsunosuke.

"_Have you been able to find him?_" Tetsunosuke asked, a bit surprised by Okita's sudden appearance. The ghost of the First Unit captain grinned and nodded.

"_Hai. And he wasn't too pleased about having a ghost drop by for a visit. His sixth sense is probably even stronger than Saito-san's had been, ten years ago._" Okita chuckled; succeeding in getting a wry smirk from Tetsunosuke for that.

"_I'm sure. If he's Kenshin's master, then he's __got__ to be in tune with everything around him_..._including ghosts and the like._" Tetsunosuke murmured, as he sat up and stretched; glancing skywards when he heard a distant whistling, and saw the signal flare.

"_Quite so._" Okita agreed, as Kenshin and Tetsunosuke started walking back towards the Aoiya. They were both relieved to find that Misao was out when they got there (thus no more headaches for either rurouni, for the time being).

"This is Hiko Seijuro's location." Okina said, as he handed Kenshin a piece of paper with the information written on it, then added, "We had no idea the name 'Hiko Seijuro' was an alias, so it took a while to discover."

"Gomen. Of course you wouldn't know. And not only apologies, but could you also look after Misao, Aoshi, and Saya, as well?" Kenshin asked; considerate of even the young woman who had waited so long for Tetsunosuke to return.

"Leave it to me. I'll take care of it." Okina replied; chuckling as a slight blush stole across Tetsunosuke's youthful features at this.

"Thanks, Okina." Tetsunosuke managed to say, after a few moments. Okina merely nodded, then gazed at Kenshin again.

"I apologize as well, Himura-kun. In the normal scheme of things, I'd have wanted to be an asset to you both...But my first duty is to protect Aoiya, Misao and Saya. I've told Seiku to try and understand your feelings. I think I that I do, at least. My heart is always on your side." Okina assured them, with a kind smile, "And it's not just me. Misao, the people of Aoiya, Seiku's family, and probably those you'd left behind in Tokyo are wishing for your safety. Please, don't forget that."

"Thank you." Kenshin murmured; honestly touched by Okina's words, before he and Tetsunosuke took their leave.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It was nightfall by the time Kenshin and Tetsunosuke reached the clearing where a hut stood. Nervously, Tetsunosuke stayed closer to the treeline; unconsciously distancing himself from the elder rurouni as he did so.

"_Why am I so nervous? What is it about this situation that's unnerving me?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as they came upon another building just beyond the hut.

"_A potter's kiln?_" Tetsunosuke silently asked, yet instantly went still when he spotted the man sitting before it. The man had his back to them, and seemed completely unaware that they were there. Before he could even react, Tetsunosuke watched as Kenshin swiftly unsheathed his sword, and slashed at the other man's back. With a move that belied his tall stature, the white-mantled man leaped high into the air to avoid the strike, then landed with ease behind Kenshin (yet in between him and Tetsunosuke).

"You're quite a rude man, to swing at a mere potter." the white-mantled man muttered, irritably.

"Hiko Seijuro is no mere potter." Kenshin replied, calmly. It was then that Tetsunosuke could sense the mantled man's irritation grow.

"Oh. So it's you." the man growled, softly.

"It's been a long time, Shishou." Kenshin said, softly; almost, Tetsunosuke noticed, with a hint of guilt in his voice.

"Feh. In some ways not long enough...and you didn't come alone, either." Hiko muttered, as he scowled over his shoulder at the shadows where Tetsunosuke now stood.

"_Better to get this over with, then._" Tetsunosuke mused, as he stepped out of the shadows and faced Hiko Seijuro for the first time. For a moment, the mantled man seemed to freeze; then he glanced from him to Kenshin, and back again, before rolling his eyes heavenward and sighing.

"Now I know I've spent too much time in front of that kiln..." Hiko mumbled, then glared at Kenshin, "What gave you the right to find a twin?"

"Shishou..." Kenshin muttered, exasperatedly, as Tetsunosuke managed a slight smile and a sigh of his own.

"Well, I got two out of three right, at least." Tetsunosuke muttered, reminding Kenshin of what he'd thought Hiko's reaction to this would be.

"Two out of three? What was the third?" Hiko asked, with an arched eyebrow.

"That you'd think you were drunk." Tetsunosuke replied, honestly. He could almost see when Hiko suppressed a smirk at this comment, and shook his head. Without another word, Hiko then went into the hut; giving the two rurouni the unspoken command to follow him inside. When they were well within the walls of the hut, Hiko returned his attention to Kenshin, and gave him yet another caustic glare.

"So, coming back after what we've been through? What business do you have with me?" Hiko asked, getting straight to the point, yet becoming minutely irritated when Kenshin only gazed curiously about him at the shelves of pottery.

"'Niitsu Kakunoshin' is already a well-known craftsman. Of all things, why pottery?" Kenshin in turn asked.

"The pottery part didn't matter. What does is living without the excess of annoying personal contact. That's all." Hiko replied, calmly.

"It was that easy?" Kenshin again asked; sounding somewhat surprised that the older man hadn't been pulled into the Bakumatsu in some way or another. The older man nodded.

"True genius shows in any guise." Hiko said, casually.

"_Full of himself, isn't he?_" Tetsunosuke silently muttered, even though he could feel the strength of Hiko's ki very easily. He had very good reason to be so sure of himself.

"You dodged my question. You've come for something very hard for you to speak of. I'm your master. I can read my Baka Deshi's mind with ease." Hiko said, with a smirk when he saw Kenshin's eyes widen slightly.

"Straight to the point, then." Kenshin murmured, then kneeled before the older man, "That which was left untaught with Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...the ougi...please, teach it now!" Tetsunosuke had to stop himself from laughing when Hiko's next words caused Kenshin to fall flat on his face.

"No way. The one who left was you. Why should I now...?" Hiko asked, as he began to turn his back on Kenshin, yet turned to glance at him again when the elder rurouni grabbed his mantle.

"Please...please." Kenshin begged, quietly.

"It seems...your situation must be desperate." Hiko murmured, "Fine. I'll at least listen to your story." As Kenshin began explaining all that had happened before their arrival in Kyoto, Tetsunosuke watched the reactions of the mantled warrior before him. With utmost calm, Hiko Seijuro listened closely to his apprentice's words, while pouring some sake into a cup.

"Where does he come in?" Hiko asked, at one point, as he motioned to Tetsunosuke in an offhand way.

"That, in and of itself, is a long story, Hiko-sensei...But one that intersects with Kenshin's." Tetsunosuke replied, calmly; inwardly smirking when he sensed Hijikata's disbelief at his mature answer.

"Seems that way." Hiko muttered, then continued (returning his full attention to Kenshin as he did so), "So it goes like this. This 'Shishio Makoto' is plotting to take over Japan, and you're getting closer to your 'Hitokiri Battousai' self. To defeat Shishio without reverting into the hitokiri, you need to strengthen yourself in your current state."

"That's about right." Tetsunosuke murmured; flinching slightly when Hiko turned his gaze to him.

"And what are you expecting to get from this? I'm not about to train you." Hiko stated, coldly.

"I expect nothing from you, Hiko-sensei. I merely accompanied Kenshin here in order to keep someone else safe. My presence in Kyoto alone would cause enough trouble." Tetsunosuke replied, calmly; actually smirking slightly when he saw Hijikata's ghost materialize and stare mutely at him in shock; Tetsunosuke had not lost his temper yet! And, to Tetsunosuke's added amusement, Hiko arched an eyebrow, and glanced briefly at the vice-commander's ghost; exchanging rather bemused expressions while they were at it. Then Hiko sighed, and gave Kenshin a deadpan look.

"'He who chases two rabbits will acquire neither'." Hiko muttered, and got another irritated look from Kenshin as a result.

"Shishou!" Kenshin grumbled; his chagrin growing when he heard Tetsunosuke murmur 'Too true' under his breath in agreement.

"I thought I taught you. 'Swords are weapons. The way of swords is the way to kill. However you dress it up in righteousness, killing is your truth'." Hiko growled, his tone becoming even sterner than before, "Your naive ideals...and the necessity of the moment. It's both selfish and foolish to think you can have both. It seems...that fifteen years ago...throwing yourself into the Bakumatsu...had been a huge mistake."

"_His disappointment_..._it's not exactly that of a master who has been failed by his apprentice. It's more akin to that of a father who's ashamed of what his son has done. I wonder_..._if Tou-san had lived_..._would I have felt the same kind of disappointment that I feel from Seijuro Hiko now?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as the other two men fell into contemplative silence. For a few, oppressive moments, Tetsunosuke could tell that many emotions were roiling through the two, and yet the pressure didn't abate in the slightest, when Hiko spoke again; pointing accusingly at Kenshin as he did so.

"This is the result of your leaving fifteen years ago. Though superb in wielding the sword, you were still only fourteen years old, and emotionally immature. My Baka Deshi received a wound on his cheek that will never heal, and his soul, wavers between the coldness of the hitokiri and his vow not to kill...In the end, this was what made Shishio Makoto into a phantom of the Bakumatsu. The revolutionaries you aided, believing in justice, quelled the chaos and built the Meiji government. But, at the same time, in order to hide all the venal acts that had been committed, they tried to bury those who had embarrassed them. All the suppressed evil of the old days are embodied in Shishio, who may lead us into yet another era of chaos. You, with only your partial knowledge of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...played a part in the creation of that phantom." Hiko growled, his rage growing with every word he spoke, until he slammed his hand into the floor before him; smashing his sake cup, and sending the blood flying from the cuts the shards had caused, "Just as you had said, the truest mission of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is to protect people from suffering! But it must be done without siding with any powers or parties! You must remain a free sword! If you are not free, then your power will distort human affairs. That is why each generation of inheritors kept the alias 'Hiko Seijuro' as their alias for over three hundred years! To remain independent! You, who never understood this, do not deserve to learn Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's ougi."

"_Harsh_..._But a father's judgment always is._" Yamanami's ghost murmured, so only Tetsunosuke could hear.

"_That's true. And it's not just hurting Kenshin, to hear this_..._It's hurting his master as well, to even say it._" Tetsunosuke agreed, wincing slightly when he saw the blood oozing from Hiko's cut hand, and glimpsed the shards of broken ceramic that had embedded themselves into his palm and fingers. But the young Wolf could tell that the most painful words were about to be uttered.

"I'm afraid...it was a mistake to teach Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu to you." Hiko murmured, his tone softer, now that most of his rage had been vented. Yet it had still been loud enough to have been heard by someone outside.

"_Incoming!_" Okita warned, as the door was knocked off its' hinges by an angry teenaged girl, and two ten-year-old boys.

"WHAT WAS THAT YOU JUST SAID?!" the trio snarled, furiously. Once again, annoyance emerged from within Hiko's ki, and Tetsunosuke could tell that he wasn't thrilled with having to deal with even more people.

"The Itachi strikes again." Tetsunosuke muttered, even though he was surprised that Yahiko and Yutaro were also there with her.

"Who are you people?" Hiko asked, with an almost exasperated look in his dark eyes (though Tetsunosuke could sense his amusement at the 'Itachi' comment).

"Misao-dono...Yahiko...Yutaro..." Kenshin muttered, in disbelief, then turned when he sensed one more enter the hut behind him; eyes widening as his gaze was met with another familiar face, "Kaoru-dono..."

"Some people you two know?" Hiko questioned, as he took in the four who now stood behind the two rurouni.

"Hai." Kenshin replied, after a moment.

"Three of them we'd thought were still in Tokyo. The Itachi Musume, on the other hand, we met on the way to Kyoto." Tetsunosuke added; ducking when Misao aimed a kick at his head in retaliation over her hated nickname.

"Well, well. So much company today...not that I asked for any." Hiko muttered, smirking slightly when he saw the two boys and kunoichi stiffen at the vaguely-disguised insult. From Kaoru, however, there was no reaction, much to Tetsunosuke's surprise.

"Kenshin. Go get water from the stream." Hiko ordered, as he quickly hid his bleeding right hand under his mantle.

"Huh?" Kenshin responded, confusedly; snapping out of his daze as quickly as he'd gone into it.

"I only have enough for me. The children mustn't be left without food or water." Hiko stated, yet seemed surprised when Tetsunosuke spoke up.

"I'll see to the food, Hiko-sensei." Tetsunosuke murmured, having heard the tone of command within the older man's voice, and reacting to it out of habit.

"Don't burn anything." Hiko muttered.

"I'll try not to." Tetsunosuke replied, with a slight smirk, before he disappeared beyond the door. It didn't take long for Kenshin to join him outside.

"Why did you volunteer to do that, Tetsu? You could have stayed inside with Kaoru-dono and the rest." Kenshin said, as he grabbed the bucket for the water, and started to walk towards the stream.

"You think I'm crazy enough to stay inside with that Itachi Musume? The situation between you and your master is already bad enough!" Tetsunosuke muttered, as he located the ice-shed, and took a few things from within it to cook over the now-smoldering cook fire just beyond the hut.

"Very true...but, with Kaoru-dono, Yahiko, and Yutaro in Kyoto, Sanosuke must be coming too...Yet another complication in the fight against Shishio." Kenshin said, quietly.

"Yeah...I know what you mean...yet they chose to come on their own. Even though we'd left Tokyo like that, it wasn't enough to get them to stay there...When two members of a pack go missing, the rest do all they can to find them again." Tetsunosuke said, as memories of the close-knit comradery he had seen within the Shinsengumi years before, returned to his mind.

"If we're like a wolf pack, Tetsu, then what place does sessha have in it?" Kenshin asked.

"Alpha wolf. Kamiya-san is the alpha female." Tetsunosuke replied, smiling when his comment got an abashed 'Oro' from Kenshin, and a blush, before he rushed off to get the water (and regain a little bit of his dignity, as well).

"_But what does that make Saito-san, then?_" Okita questioned, as he settled down beside the fire pit, and watched Tetsunosuke put a little more firewood into it; gently coaxing the flame back to life as he did so.

"_I don't know. The years have changed him so much from how he used to be. He's too much of a lone wolf to be considered a part of this 'pack'_..._or any pack, for that matter. He even cut off contact with you, Hijikata-san, and the rest._" Tetsunosuke somberly said, as some sadness emerged in his red-brown eyes.

"_That's very true_..._But he hasn't forgotten us completely._" Yamanami reassured, as he placed an insubstantial hand on the younger rurouni's back in an effort to comfort him.

"_And I can take some small comfort in that._" Tetsunosuke mused, as he gave the ghosts before him a wan smile, before he got back to the task at hand.

"At least the food smells good, from here. I'd be afraid to test anything Kenshin would cook." Hiko's voice muttered, from inside.

"His cooking is actually not too bad...It's Kamiya-san's you'd have to watch out for." Tetsunosuke jokingly said, chuckling when Kaoru stuck her head out the door and gave him a caustic glare.

"_Whew! If looks could kill!_" Okita chortled, as he cringed away from the young woman's 'evil eye', and playfully hid behind Tetsunosuke.

"_If looks could kill, Okita-san, I would have joined you and the rest of the Shinsengumi, by now_..." Tetsunosuke added; sensing when a hint of humor emerged in the mantled swordsman's ki, and guessing correctly that he'd 'heard' those comments as well.

"_Very true._" Okita agreed, as Tetsunosuke checked the food to see if it was cooked all the way through, and, when he found that it was, made his way back into the hut.

"That smells great, Tetsu! Didn't know you could cook as well!" Yahiko said, as the younger rurouni carefully served the steaming food.

"Well, you learn a lot when you're wandering around aimlessly. I was near the northern coast when I learned this one." Tetsunosuke stated, adding a slight smirk when he remembered the near disaster he'd almost caused the last time he'd tried to cook the dish in front of them.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

By the time the food had been served, and Kenshin had returned with the water, Tetsunosuke could tell that the conversation inside was winding down.

"_And his master's ki feels calmer. Wonder what those four told him, while we were out here?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he followed Kenshin inside (since he'd stepped back outside to wisely give himself some space from Misao and Kaoru). For a few moments, there was uneasy silence, and a tension only a katana could possibly cut. Then the elder swordsman smirked at them.

"Where do you want the water, Shishou?" Kenshin asked, quietly, as Tetsunosuke carefully served the food.

"Over there." Hiko replied, motioning towards the wall with one hand, before continuing, "So, for ten years, you've been wandering the country, as rurouni, helping people. Did you finally internalize the teaching of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu on your own? Or are you trying to atone for all the deaths you've caused?"

"Both, Shishou. One other thing was said, before we fought and parted fifteen years ago...If there are people suffering, for whatever reason, they cannot be ignored." Kenshin murmured, his comment earning him a slight smirk from Hiko for that.

"So, when it matters, my mule of a student can talk like a man." Hiko muttered, as he abruptly stood, "Then come! I will teach you Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's ougi!"

"_All right!_" Okita whooped.

"_Took the words right out of my mouth, Okita-san._" Tetsunosuke stated, as a grin emerged on his own youthful features, and as Kenshin and the rest gave Hiko stunned looks.

"After all, Shishio mustn't be left as the only Hiten Mitsurugi student, and I don't have time to train another apprentice...Though, it would be easiest to take care of him myself, at this point in my career, I'm in a different place." Hiko said; ignoring Kenshin completely when he muttered an exasperated 'Shishou' under his breath, and when the Misao, Kaoru, Yutaro and Yahiko all fell on their faces in response to his comments.

"What say you, Wolf of Mibu?" Hiko asked, surprising Tetsunosuke when he suddenly returned his attention to him. At first, Tetsunosuke was taken aback by this, and then he sighed.

"I have nothing to say against it, Hiko-sensei...I just hope you don't mind my continued presence here." Tetsunosuke replied, quietly. This got a nod from the older man, before his gaze got even sterner.

"Be that as it may...This job falls on the both of you. Stop Shishio Makoto." Hiko commanded, as he led the way out of the hut.

"No arguments here." Tetsunosuke agreed, as grim looks crossed both his and Kenshin's faces. They both knew what kind of task was ahead, and hoped that they would be able to make it through alive.

"_But first, Kenshin has to live through this. The bridge between him and his master is just beginning to be mended. I just hope that it won't end in tragedy_..._as it had with Suzu and his master_..." Tetsunosuke mused, as he half-listened to a brief conversation between Kaoru and Kenshin, and looked down when Yutaro gripped his sleeve.

"Why are you staying here? I thought he'd said that he wasn't going to train you." Yutaro whispered, as he gazed up at the man whom he'd deemed a hero.

"Good question. But it isn't something I'm going to dwell on, right now." Tetsunosuke replied, then silently added, "_Though I have an idea as to why he's letting me stay_..."

"Well, we'll be waiting for you both in Kyoto. Take care." Kaoru murmured; sounding a bit deflated at Kenshin's attitude towards her.

"Don't worry, Kaoru-san. Things will work themselves out." Tetsunosuke reassured, before he followed the other two men into the darkness.

"I hope so." Kaoru's voice softly said; almost lost to the silence that fell heavily behind them, as they left their sight, once again.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Not very pleased with this chapter (it seemed a little awkward towards the end of it). Writer's block seems determined to sink its' fangs into this story, but I somehow keep managing to wrench it free. Hopefully the next chapter will be a bit easier to write! Wish me luck!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	19. The Secret and the Sacrifice?

Chapter Nineteen: The Secret...and the Sacrifice?

Morning's light had just barely reached the clearing where Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth lived, when the sound of steel against steel came to Tetsunosuke's ears.

"_That's a sound that I've almost missed_..." Tetsunosuke mused, as he roused up completely, and followed his ears to where the sounds had come from. It was then that he was treated to a sight that no other living man had ever seen before; with unparalleled speed and strength, Hiko and Kenshin charged at one another. He winced when the elder swordsman aimed a powerful kick at Kenshin's back, and knocked him to the ground.

"_That __had__ to hurt!_" Tetsunosuke silently muttered.

"_I'll say. Glad I never had to meet __this__ man in battle._" Hijikata agreed, as he stood alongside the younger rurouni and watched the 'training' session from afar.

"Just because I've raised my sword, doesn't mean I'm going to swing it. You depend too much on reaction speed." Hiko's voice commented, as they again returned to the ground.

"_I think we're all grateful that this man wasn't the feared Battousai of the Bakumatsu. If he had been, then I think we would have all gone much earlier to our graves_..." Yamanami murmured, subdued by how much power they had seen from the white-mantled hermit, thus far.

"_No arguments there._" Tetsunosuke agreed; flinching slightly when the elder swordsman addressed him.

"I find it rather impressive that you've stayed out of this so far, Wolf of Mibu." Hiko stated, as he smirked down at the younger rurouni.

"Hiko-sensei, I may not be the smartest man alive, but I am certainly not foolish enough to get in the way. I like my head and limbs where they are." Tetsunosuke replied, his own comment getting amusement not only from the swordmaster, but also from the ghosts of the Shinsengumi as well.

"_Certainly didn't seem that way, when you first joined up, Ichimura._" Hijikata muttered, yet seemed surprised when a hint of a rueful look appeared on his former page's face.

"_Ten years is enough to teach even a foolhardy baka like me to stay out of most personal conflicts_..._The main exception being that between Kenshin and Saito-san._" Tetsunosuke mused, as he continued watching the training session. He winced when he saw Kenshin hit the ground again.

"I was right to test your strength beforehand. I never imagined your skills could be this rusty." Hiko muttered, yet smirking nonetheless.

"_Oh boy_..._Kenshin's in for it_..." Tetsunosuke thought.

"There's no time for this. Shishio's hands may be reaching for everyone as we speak. Just teach me the...!" Kenshin said, yet was interrupted by his master's next strike; first with the sheathed sword, and then with it drawn.

"_Two-part battoujutsu_..._and at such a speed that I couldn't follow. Even Saito wouldn't be able to stand up to this man._" Tetsunosuke silently muttered, as Kenshin was dealt yet another glancing blow to the head and left shoulder.

"So you thought to acquire the ougi of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...eh, my Baka Deshi? First, land a blow on me, then we'll start on the secret." Hiko growled, then threw a glance over his shoulder at Tetsunosuke, "And if that happens, no interference."

"Whatever you say. I'm not gonna argue." Tetsunosuke replied, holding his hands up in front of him as he backed up a step. From then on, there were very few words between the three men, as two concentrated on the 'training' (or, as Hiko had slipped up and called it 'trouncing') session, and the last stayed out of their way.

"_I have no desire to get 'trounced' next._" Tetsunosuke mentally grumbled; unaware of what the ghosts of the Shinsengumi had in store for him, next.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"_Seijuro Hiko-san._" Okita said, when Hiko had finished knocking Kenshin to the ground, once again.

"_What do you want, now?_" Hiko irritably replied. It was well into the morning of the second day of Kenshin's 're-training', and he was beginning to get vaguely annoyed with the situation.

"_We have a favor we'd like to ask of you, Seijuro-san, if it isn't too much trouble._" Okita replied, as the other two ghosts appeared beside him.

"_I'm not training the Wolf. You can forget it._" Hiko mentally growled; knowing he could get away with being stubborn, since he was too strong for the three ghosts to possess.

"_It isn't training we're asking for, it's brushing up on what he already knows_..._and maybe adding something to it. As it is, his skills aren't as sharp as they had been ten years ago, either._" Hijikata muttered, as he gazed down at his former page with a hint of concern in his eyes.

"_What's in it for me, if I do this?_" Hiko asked, as he released an irritated sigh. Okita grinned; sensing that the older dragon was finally giving in to their 'badgering'.

"_We'll leave you alone._" Okita promised. His smile didn't falter in the slightest, when Hiko muttered something about a 'cold day in hell', before reluctantly standing, and heading back to the hut.

"_Hey, what about him?_" Yamanami asked, as he pointed at the out-cold rurouni.

"_Leave him there. That baka will be all right. His head's too hard for even the likes of __me__ to crack._" Hiko replied, not even bothering to look back as he 'said' that.

"_I know exactly what you mean._" Hijikata muttered, in understanding, as he again looked at his unsuspecting page, then added, "_Yet we can only hope their stubbornness will __help__ them, this time around._"

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Wolf of Mibu." Hiko's voice said, the command in the tone prompting Tetsunosuke into looking up. No sooner did he do so, was he forced to leap aside, and unsheathe one of his blades to block a blow to his head.

"W-what...? Why're you goin' after me now?" Tetsunosuke asked, shocked by this development, to say the least. He could see when a hint of annoyance appeared in Hiko's ebony eyes, before he withdrew and allowed Tetsunosuke to get his balance again.

"You have your former comrades to thank for this." Hiko muttered, then added, somewhat ominously, as he withdrew, "Be ready."

"Right..." Tetsunosuke murmured, as he watched Hiko go back inside of the hut, then turned and gave the ghosts behind him a murderous look.

"_If you weren't already dead, I'd kill at least two of you myself._" Tetsunosuke silently growled; seething at their audacity, and seeming desire to get him killed.

"_Which ones?_" Okita asked, innocently.

"_You and Hijikata-san._" Tetsunosuke mumbled, before he returned his attention to the swordmaster. He was a bit surprised to see that he now held two swords in his powerful hands, and also felt a bit uneasy.

"_I've seen what he can do with just one sword_..._How much stronger is he with two?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he warily watched Hiko circle around to a better position to launch his first strike.

"Show me what you can do with those swords, Wolf...Or should I call you Ichimura?" Hiko asked, in mocking politeness.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter to me...though I have the feeling you're gonna be calling me a moron or idiot before the day is out." Tetsunosuke replied, since even he could see that there was no way to get out of this situation. This got what could only be a sneer from the older swordsman in answer to that.

"You're right about that." Hiko said, then launched himself at the young Wolf. Tetsunosuke's 'training' session had begun.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Inwardly, he was actually very impressed by Tetsunosuke's speed. With every lunge and strike, the young Wolf was proving himself to have been a formidable swordsman, ten years prior.

"_And yet, as with the Baka Deshi, his moves seem rusty. Skills like this won't get him very far, in the fight to come._" Hiko mused, grimly, before he knocked Tetsunosuke aside again.

"For a non-Mitsurugi swordsman, your speed is impressive. Where did you learn swordsmanship?" Hiko asked; having made the decision to satisfy that small bit of curiosity.

"No particular school, Hiko-sensei...Just closely observing what happened in front of me, or listening closely to what was known about Kenshin, at that time...Miyomimane." Tetsunosuke gasped, in response. For a few moments, the Thirteenth master watched him with an unreadable look in his ebon eyes; silently weighing the information that had just been told to him.

"_Miyomimane_..._'Training by eye'_..._As it is, he almost has a solid grasp of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's god-speed. How much more would he have learned, if he'd been able to watch Kenshin on a day-to-day basis?_" Hiko wondered, then sighed. It seemed to him that the young Wolf knew enough of the basics to be taught at least something during his time there.

"_And it might get those damn ghosts off my case for a while._" Hiko mused, then sourly added, "_But I have the sneaking suspicion I am going to regret this._"

"Hiko-sensei?" Tetsunosuke questioned; having become uncomfortable with the long silence, and when the swordmaster's eyes narrowed.

"It seems that there's at least one move I can teach you, Ichimura. Prepare yourself." Hiko warned. With a nod, Tetsunosuke crossed his blades in front of him; ready to fire off a Nibai Okami Kiba, if he got the chance. With a rush that was a hundred times faster than Kenshin could muster, Hiko attacked; both blades glinting as he neared the wary younger rurouni. For a split second before the blades could close in completely, Tetsunosuke caught sight of something familiar within the attack.

"_Wait! This is_..._a __double__ Ryu Sou Sen!_" Tetsunosuke's mind shouted; knowing then that he had roughly a snowball's chance in hell of deflecting the attack with any measure of success...And they both knew it.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

By the time Kenshin had started to regain consciousness, Hiko had returned to his place; sitting on the boulder in front of him. In the glen below, Tetsunosuke lay sprawled on his back. With every pant, he'd let a colorful curse slip out; cursing the ghostly Shinsengumi, Hiko's ungodly strength, and his own stupidity in so few words.

"_Are you all right, Tetsu?_" Yamanami asked, as he kneeled down and looked concernedly at him.

"_What're you tryin' to do? Get me killed? I didn't stand a chance in hell against him, dammit!_" Tetsunosuke sourly responded, as he slowly sat back up.

"_You didn't stand a chance in hell against __Souji__ that first time you faced him, remember?_" Hijikata said, with a smirk; ignoring the dirty look Tetsunosuke threw his way at that.

"_But did you learn anything?_" Yamanami questioned.

"_Yeah. Never piss Hiko Seijuro off._" Tetsunosuke retorted, as he stiffly got up and dusted himself off; noticing, as he did so, when a hint of embarrassment emerged within Kenshin's ki, and guessing correctly that he was being taunted in the same way he had been, after he'd been knocked to the ground.

"_Let's get to a better vantage point. I think we need to see what's going to happen next._" Yamanami suggested.

"_If you say so._" Tetsunosuke reluctantly agreed, as he and the three ghosts made their way to the cliffs, where they could watch the master and apprentice of the Mitsurugi Ryu without being in their way. Right away, they could see master and apprentice facing off again; their stances tense and their ki radiating only fierce determination.

"_Everything's gonna have to hinge on one full-strength strike_..._but can Kenshin manage it?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, before Kenshin launched himself into the air, and Hiko followed shortly after.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ryu Sho Sen!" Kenshin shouted, strongly, as he started to desend.

"Ryu Tsui Sen!" Hiko's voice roared, as their swords met in midair with a tremendous crash of steel.

"_He's done it! He landed a hit!_" Okita shouted, when they'd seen the elder rurouni's sword hit Hiko's right forearm (and when said swordmaster flinched in surprise).

"_Way to go, Kenshin!_" Tetsunosuke silently cheered, even as the other rurouni absently forgot to adjust himself for his landing, and ended up on his back for his efforts.

"_He's going to be feeling __that__ later._" Hijikata muttered, dryly.

"_No doubt about it._" Tetsunosuke mentally grumbled; knowing that he, too, was also going to be feeling sore later...Thanks to the impromptu training session with the powerful swordsman.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It was with a flinch that Kenshin returned, once again, to consciousness an untold amount of time later.

"Hey, how long are you going to sleep? You should be up, by now." Hiko Seijuro's voice muttered, irritably. With a jolt, Kenshin realized just where he was and what he was supposed to be doing, and bolted upright...only to grimace and put a hand to his aching head when he'd done so.

"You all right, Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked, from a good distance away.

"Aa..." Kenshin replied, then looked at Hiko. The older man was once again seated on the boulder he'd been sitting on previously; his expression unreadable.

"You focused all your concentration only on your swing, so you forgot about your landing and hit your head. Idiot." Hiko grumbled, then continued, after a few moments' abashed silence on Kenshin's part, "But, if you hadn't done that, you couldn't have landed a blow on me in ten years. I wouldn't call it perfect...but a strike is a strike."

"_Does this mean what I think it means?_" Kenshin wondered; not even daring to hope.

"I'll start your initiation into the ougi." Hiko finally said, as a slight, unreadable smile crossed his face. And yet, Tetsunosuke could only feel foreboding, when he saw the expression in the master's eyes.

"_What is it that's caused such a grave certainty to appear, now? What is Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's ougi, anyway?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he followed the two back to the hut; uneasy about what was to come.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Now. Don't move even a hair. If you do, you'll die. Simple as that." Hiko warned, when they had finally reached the yard in front of his hut. From the safety of the hut's roof, Tetsunosuke watched and listened as Hiko reviewed the basics; making certain Kenshin knew each of the basic nine strikes, before he continued.

"Every style, every move, falls into one of those nine categories. Naturally, the defensive forms also revolve around these nine. And yet..." Hiko said, before he launched into an attack that was almost too fast for either Kenshin or Tetsunosuke to see.

"_Whoa_..._a move that utilizes all nine strikes_..._Is this the ougi?_" Tetsunosuke silently asked, amazed by what he'd just seen.

"When the 'shinsaku' of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is used to its' fullest, unleashing all nine strikes at once, it cannot be defended against. This is the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...Kuzu Ryu Sen." Hiko murmured; fully aware of the stunned looks from both young men at the power and speed of the deadly move.

"_Not even a finger could be moved_..._This __is__ the ougi!_" Kenshin thought; unwittingly answering Tetsunosuke's silent question.

"_No one in the Shinsengumi could've stopped __that_" Tetsunosuke added, as they both listened further to Hiko's explanation of the move itself.

"Unlike another multiple strike, Ryu Sou Sen, all nine strikes of Kuzu Ryu Sen carry fatal impact. And, as a charging attack, it's also impossible to dodge." Hiko stated, then smirked, "Of all my moves, it is the greatest."

"No shit about that, Hiko-sensei..." Tetsunosuke muttered, in complete agreement. This earned him an arched eyebrow for that, before the attention was again on Kenshin.

"Stop gaping and do it." Hiko commanded; sighing in exasperation when Kenshin snapped out of his daze and started stammering in disbelief.

"What?.! I-I can't just...!" Kenshin yelped; shocked that the ougi could so easily be had.

"Quit babbling. You don't learn moves step by step. You learn them by overreaching yourself; by getting yourself struck. It's how you've always trained." Hiko muttered; his deadpan expression speaking volumes. It was in that moment that Kenshin's expression changed into one of chagrin, proof that he did indeed remember all those 'strikes' from back then.

"It's a wonder they weren't fatal..." Kenshin mumbled.

"Got that right." Tetsunosuke agreed; knowing he had to ignore Kenshin's questioning look for his own well-being.

"Well, it helps that I've always adjusted the force." Hiko murmured, even though he knew that both rurouni could 'hear' the smirk in his voice at their discomfiture...and could sense the feeling of skepticism from Tetsunosuke, as well.

"If you think you've got it, bring it to me...full on." Hiko challenged, grimly.

"_While it's true that dodging was impossible_..._it wasn't because the strikes went unseen_..." Tetsunosuke thought, as he watched Kenshin unsheathe his sakabatou and adjust his stance.

"_All nine strikes_..._were clearly visible._" Kenshin added, then murmured, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Kuzu Ryu Sen!" With tremendous force, Kenshin charged at his master, and the elder warrior responded in kind. Nine times, the two swordsmen locked blades, before Kenshin was finally forced to the ground again.

"_Whoa_..." Tetsunosuke's mind muttered; barely restraining the Wolf within him from racing to his friend's side to make sure he was okay.

"_Same Kuzu Ryu Sen_..._but still it was a failure. What was wrong with it?_" Kenshin wondered; bewildered that the attack had failed.

"Nothing. Yours' was perfect." Hiko said, answering Kenshin's shell-shocked thoughts, then adding, "But even when the move is exactly the same, if the wielder is different, then the force behind it will be different, as well. Multiple strikes depend on arm strength, and charges depend on weight. In both areas, you're inferior. So, when you face my Kuzu Ryu Sen...your attack is nothing." At this, a look of defeat began to appear on the elder rurouni's face. Had this all been for nothing?

"_Then_..._the Kuzu Ryu Sen can never_...!" Kenshin thought, before he was once again brought back to reality by his master's voice.

"Yet, there is one move that can defeat mine...and only one. It is the true Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu ougi...Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki." Hiko said; the grim certainty again appearing in his dark eyes, but this time it even emerged in his ki, as well.

"_Something about that move bothers him_..._but what could it be?_" Tetsunosuke wondered. Kenshin, on the other hand, didn't catch the look in his master's eyes, and released another surprised yelp.

"Why the surprise? Did I ever say that Kuzu Ryu Sen was the ougi?" Hiko asked, his usual evil sense of humor emerging, once again.

"_Kami-sama_..._I can only hope Hijikata-san wasn't related in __any__ way to this man_..." Tetsunosuke mused, sourly; Hiko had had them both fooled!

"Kuzu Ryu Sen wasn't created for battle, but as a test for the initiation into the ougi. The initiate traditionally faces it first...And then, if he can overcome his master's nine dragons, would he be considered ready for the ougi." Hiko explained, then added, "And, normally, there wouldn't be any outsiders watching."

"I think you're related to Hijikata, after all..." Tetsunosuke grumbled; earning him a perplexed look from Kenshin for that comment.

"_I heard that, Ichimura._" Hijikata's voice growled, from overhead; yet going pretty much ignored by his former page.

"But..." Kenshin started to say, yet was interrupted by Hiko, once again.

"Think hard about the nature of the Kuzu Ryu Sen, and then the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki will appear." Hiko stated, quietly; dropping a subtle clue in front of Kenshin, and now waiting to see if he noticed it. For a few moments, it seemed as though the words had gone right over Kenshin's head; then his eyes brightened, and he dropped into a battoujutsu stance.

"_That's it_..._'Kuzu Ryu Sen' is a move that can't be blocked or dodged_..._The only way to fight against it is to strike before it does!_" Tetsunosuke thought; knowing now that Kenshin's thoughts were running along that same line.

"Very good. Exactly right." Hiko commended, then added, "As fast as it is, your battoujutsu must be faster still. That is the true secret of Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki. Yet still...with that sakabatou...which wasn't made for battoujutsu...how fast can you possibly strike?"

"_He's got a point._" Yamanami murmured, with concern in his eyes for the other rurouni.

"_With the dull edge and sharp edge reversed, it'll slow the drawing of the blade down dramatically. Any delay in combat could turn deadly, if that's the case._" Tetsunosuke added, as he watched Kenshin's stance change again, and noticed Hiko's reaction to it.

"A sheathed sword...null form...'Back to the river' is it? Reckless." Hiko murmured; starting when he saw that Kenshin's eyes had also changed color.

"_Oh no_..._He's Battousai again_..." Okita whispered, as even he, Hijikata, and Yamanami started backing away from the two swordsmen, in dread of what would happen next.

"Maybe you're right...But there's no choice. I must try for the ougi...even if it costs me my life." Battousai growled; amber eyes seeming to show every bit of his desperation as he stood there waiting for his master to attack. Instead, Hiko lowered his sword with a sigh.

"You are indeed my Baka Deshi." Hiko muttered, bitterly, as he turned his back on Kenshin and started to walk back inside of his hut.

"N-nani?" Kenshin stammered; startled out of his Battousai state by those words alone.

"_Whew. That was too close!_" Tetsunosuke inwardly said; breathing a sigh of relief as he did so.

"When it comes down to it, you don't understand a thing." Hiko growled, in frustration.

"Shishou..." Kenshin called, as Tetsunosuke hesitantly descended from the roof, and stood alongside him. None of them even paid any attention when thunder sounded in the distance.

"I give you just one night. Search your soul and find what it is you're lacking before sunrise. If you cannot do that, not only will you be throwing away the ougi, but also your life, as well." Hiko warned, before he went inside, and lit a fire in the hearth. When the first raindrops finally fell to the earth, each man was deeply absorbed in his own troubled thoughts. Kenshin was now seated on the back of the extinguished kiln; his eyes downcast as his musings turned inwards. Inside the hut, Hiko Seijuro sat in front of the fire with a jug of sake at his side, dark eyes narrowed as he allowed his mind to bring up memories from long ago. Tetsunosuke found himself seated in front of the kiln, facing the path; wondering just what the next morning would bring, and how it would change their lives.

"_Whatever it is, we're about to find out what exactly this 'Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki' truly is_..._and I can only pray that it won't end in tragedy_..." Tetsunosuke thought; his own memories returning to the heart-wrenching sight of his friend Suzu, and what his insanity over the loss of his own master had done to him, before the end.

"_I can only hope it doesn't come to that._"

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By the time dawn arrived, the rain had slackened to a miserable drizzle. Half-asleep, Tetsunosuke turned to look when Hiko Seijuro stepped out of the hut; noticing almost immediately that the man looked exhausted and on-edge.

"_Must not have gotten much sleep last night_..._Yet, judging from what he'd told Kenshin yesterday, it's understandable._" Tetsunosuke mused, then glanced at Kenshin, as he stood and walked over to the yard again. The elder rurouni also looked just as haggard.

"You didn't sleep last night." Hiko muttered, tiredly.

"You either." Kenshin replied, in a tone that told Tetsunosuke that the uneasiness was shared. For a long moment, master and apprentice stood glaring at one another, then they both went to the washbasin and splashed some cold water onto their faces to wake themselves up.

"So...did you discover what you were lacking?" Hiko asked.

"...No." Kenshin answered, simply.

"That so? Then, in this case, you're a man who's hit his limit." Hiko said; his tone rife with disappointment, "If you can't see what you're lacking, you'll not only fail to learn the ougi, you'll also never defeat Shishio. And, even if you did somehow defeat him...you'll still never defeat the hitokiri in your soul." As he was saying this, Hiko was removing the white mantle from his powerful shoulders; a veiled hint that something deadly was about to happen.

"Instead, you'll plunge into confusion, engulfed in solitude...and blood. I fear it is my duty as your master...to spare you that." Hiko murmured, before he, with one single swipe of his sword, rent the ground in front of Kenshin's feet; the sheer power of just that one arm making a chill of dread travel down the spines of the two rurouni.

"_Damn. This looks bad._" Tetsunosuke inwardly cursed, yet was unable to do anything; since the incredible power of Hiko Seijuro's ki alone held him in place. He almost jumped when he heard the mantle hit the ground, behind Kenshin.

"Along with the name 'Hiko Seijuro' this mantle, also, is handed down; to restrain in times of peace the power of the Hiten Mitsurugi inheritor. It's shoulders are rigged with springs which apply counter-pressure in the amount of ten kan." Hiko continued, his persona drastically different from what it had been before. Now, instead of the world-weary hermit, there stood a man with the spirit, strength, and presence of a dragon.

"_Kami-sama_..._this is it, then_..." Tetsunosuke tensely thought, his mouth drying as he watched the two men face one another.

"Are you ready, Kenshin?" Hiko's voice intoned, coldly; his words and presence chilling both Kenshin and Tetsunosuke to the core.

"_Finally_..._he's here. The true_..._Hiko Seijuro._" Kenshin thought, as he directed a spooked look at his master. No longer was he the sarcastic and anti-social hermit...nor was he the man Kenshin had looked up to as a father figure and teacher...This was his master's truest form, undisguised...Trembling, even though he wasn't in the 'line of fire', Tetsunosuke could feel very easily the dark purpose within Hiko's ki; his own soul almost cowering away from the oppressive presence. He was further unnerved that Okita's, Yamanami's, and even Hijikata's ghosts were nowhere to be seen. All was still and silent, until Hiko growled out one final warning.

"Prepare yourself..."

In that moment, when Hiko began his charge, Tetsunosuke could swear that he sensed that Kenshin was seeing his own life flash before his eyes...and when the feelings of fear, sorrow, desperation, despair, hope, and everything pertaining to them became a mixed-up jumble that formed into one brilliant, inextinguishable light.

"_I can't die! I can't even __consider__ dying yet!_" Kenshin's mind cried, as his feelings spilled over into Tetsunosuke, as well...His desire to live had been rekindled. All it took was that split second for him to instinctively sink into a battoujutsu stance, and then bring the sakabatou out in a blinding arc. For several long, agonizing moments, all that could be heard was the sound of the wind through the trees, and the slight patter of rain falling around them...then they both heard a quiet voice.

"Yes...that's it." Hiko's voice said, softly, "You've slain many men, and carry much guilt...so you take your own life for granted. You blind yourself to the fact that your own life is also a human life...That stops you from exerting your true strength...and sometimes allows the hitokiri to regain control."

"_Something's wrong_..." Tetsunosuke realized.

"If you're to overcome this, you need to remember what you just saw. You need the will to live...even if you protect the weak and the ones you love by sacrificing yourself, the sorrow will remain in those people...They will never truly be happy...Even if you quell danger with your fierce anger, sacrificing your life, it is only for that short moment in time...and time goes on. The will to live is the heart of existence. Do not forget that. Remember it, and the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki is yours'. With it, you will defeat not only Shishio, but also the hitokiri within you..." Hiko murmured; his voice becoming even more strained, as he continued.

"Shishou..." Kenshin whispered, stunned that he'd actually accomplished what he'd set out to do, and that the normally gruff swordsman was commending him for that. Yet the feeling of surprise turned into some concern, when they both heard Hiko gasp for breath. He was still facing away from the pair; thus they couldn't see his face.

"Please don't worry...This is the fate of master and apprentice...when the secret is passed on. Think of this as something that happened outside of your vow to never kill again..." Hiko struggled to say, before his strength finally gave out, and he fell to the ground in a heap.

"SHISHOU!!" Kenshin shouted, as he and Tetsunosuke rushed to his side.

"Hiko-sensei! Hang on!" Tetsunosuke yelped, as he helped Kenshin turn the swordmaster over onto his back; both of them stunned by what Kenshin's blow had done to his chest. A deep groove could be seen through a long tear in Hiko's gi, running from the lower right-hand side of his ribcage, to his left collarbone; the ribs moving unnaturally under their hands, as they tried to get him to awaken.

"He needs a doctor...Tetsu, can you go down the mountain and get one?" Kenshin asked, fearfully, when they both noticed how weak Hiko's ki now was. Tetsunosuke shook his head.

"I don't know the way back, Kenshin. I followed you here at night, remember? I don't know which direction to head in, to get back to the city...And it wouldn't do him any good, if I got lost on the way." Tetsunosuke said, trying his best to make the now extremely worried rurouni see reason, at this point. After a moment, Kenshin shakily nodded.

"Aa...Can you help me get him inside, at least?" Kenshin almost feebly asked.

"I'm not saying that I won't help you, my friend..." Tetsunosuke replied, then added, "_After all, this man is the only thing you have that resembles a father. If I have anything to say about it, he's not going to slip away so easily._" With as much care as the two smaller men could offer, they moved the swordmaster back into the hut; ignoring the rain as it picked up, and the thunder as it again rumbled overhead. They could only hope that Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth had the strength and will to live to overcome death itself...

Author's Note!

This chapter was a bit of a pain to write, but I hope it was okay! (A lot of whatever awkwardness was in here will actually work out, in the long run, since most of this chapter was from Tetsu's point of view). Thanks for reading, minna!

Gemini14


	20. Into Uncertainty

Chapter Twenty: Into Uncertainty

Tetsunosuke sighed, as he watched the rainfall from his seat near the fire. Opposite him, Kenshin slept fitfully; the worry for his master apparent, even now. The older man now lay unconscious on the floor of the hut, having been brought down by Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's ougi just a couple of hours before. In the moments after his collapse, Kenshin had seemingly ransacked the hut in his search for some medicine to give Hiko, when Tetsunosuke had found the beginnings of a fever.

"_He's scared_..._But there's good enough reason to be. Lung injuries can lead to lung illnesses, if infection sets in._" Tetsunosuke mused; shuddering when he remembered how Okita had died, and the lingering illness that had sapped the very life from him. At this point, he knew Hiko's condition could go either way, since he didn't know just how severe his internal wounds were. All that could be done was to remain vigilant, and keep the compresses cool.

"Hold on, Hiko-sensei. Don't give up now." Tetsunosuke murmured, when he again checked on the man's fever, and sighed when he found that it was still a little too high. He also winced when he saw how dark the bruising on Hiko's chest had gotten, in just that short amount of time.

"_At this point, I'm glad he's unconscious. That's gonna hurt like hell when he wakes up._" Tetsunosuke again mused; looking aside when he saw a flash of lightning, and heard the wind moan mournfully through the trees.

"_It's gonna be a long night_..." Tetsunosuke grimly thought, as nature's fury continued to rage. Little did he realize that another twist of fate was about to occur...

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The wind was moaning through the mountains, as he walked along the dark path alone. Even though the rain was lashing against him, the man didn't even react to it. In fact, he seemed to be nothing more than a shadow, brought to life. He was clothed, head-to-toe, in solid black. The only hint of color that could be seen aside from that, were his eyes. They were a deep shade of crimson...almost reminiscent of drying blood.

"Ah, Tsuno-san! Greetings!" a cheery voice called, as its' owner rushed up to him; trying to keep up with his long strides.

"Tenken." a raspy voice growled, in acknowledgment.

"How have you been, these days?" Soujiro asked, conversationally, as he jogged along beside the black-clothed man.

"The same. What brings you here, Tenken? You didn't come all this way to make idle conversation." 'Tsuno' murmured, as he eyed the boy coolly. At this, Soujiro offered him something that resembled an abashed smile.

"True enough...Shishio-san is calling all of the Juppongatana together at Mt. Hiei. Can you come?" Soujiro questioned. This earned him a slight tilt of the head from the taller man as a sign that he was curious about this turn of events.

"Why does he wish for me to come? Doesn't he have ten swords, already?" Tsuno asked, with just the barest hint of confusion in his voice.

"Well...There's no longer ten, since Cho-san got captured. Since you're the next one who can take his place, Shishio-san has gone ahead and moved you up the ranks." Soujiro explained; his smile never fading, even though he was already soaked to the skin by the pouring rain. At this, the other man merely nodded.

"Lead the way, then, Tenken." Tsuno rasped, then silently added, "_Finally. A chance for revenge on the country that took the only thing worth living for away from me. It's about time._" With those thoughts in mind, Tsuno allowed the younger man to take up the lead; caressing one of the pistols he carried almost lovingly, as he went.

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The subtle shift in ki was what had roused him from sleep. From what he could sense, the feeling was tinged with hazy confusion, at first, and then intense pain. Tetsunosuke was quick to snap to attention when the pained ki came to him, and looked to see that the swordmaster was struggling to breathe.

"_Kami-sama! Don't let him die like this!_" Tetsunosuke's mind shouted, as he scrambled to Hiko's side, and started to slide an arm behind his shoulders in an effort to lever him up and help him breathe. He was stopped from doing so, however, when one of the older man's hands reached up and gripped the arm tightly. Startled, Tetsunosuke froze and looked down; surprised and relieved to see that the man's eyes were open (even if the eyes themselves were glazed with pain).

"Ichi...mura?" Hiko managed to gasp.

"Yeah." Tetsunosuke replied; feeling slightly confused when he sensed relief in the older man's ki, and could only conclude that he was concerned about Kenshin seeing him like this.

"_He really doesn't want Kenshin to worry about him_..._Seeing him like this would definitely do that, so it's better for the both of them this way._" Tetsunosuke thought, then asked, "Do you need anything, Hiko-sensei?"

"Can't breathe...Help me...get outside..." Hiko replied; hating to have to rely on Tetsunosuke like this, but finding himself in too much pain to move on his own. With a nod, Tetsunosuke carefully helped the swordmaster stand; ever aware of the injury to said man's torso as he went. Thankfully enough, the rain had stopped, and the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon; they wouldn't have to worry about getting rained on, now. When they had gotten well out of earshot of the hut, Tetsunosuke could only wonder why Hiko had wanted to get so far away...and felt alarm when he suddenly fell to his knees and began coughing harshly into one of his hands.

"Hiko-sensei!" Tetsunosuke yelped; horror taking up residence in his heart, when he saw blood begin seeping from between the older man's fingers.

"_Oh gods! His lungs! His lungs are bleeding! I've gotta get Kenshin to go back to Kyoto for that doctor NOW!_" Tetsunosuke's panicked mind cried, as he turned to race back to the hut, yet was stopped again by the other man's restraining hand.

"D-don't...It isn't...tuberculosis..." Hiko struggled to say, from between coughs; forcing himself to take deep breaths after the attack had abated enough to do so. He could see that this sort of thing had haunted the younger rurouni for over a decade...A nightmare that relived itself, even in his waking hours.

"H-how...?" Tetsunosuke started to ask, bewilderingly. He hadn't told Hiko that Okita had died from that disease, so how had he known?.! At this, Hiko could only offer a slight smirk, as he wiped the blood from his face.

"Those ghosts...especially the one called 'Okita'...have been pestering me for quite some time, now. That one in particular...wouldn't shut up." Hiko mumbled, as he made a move to stand on his own, yet wavering slightly when a fresh stab of pain went through his injured ribs and it forced him to sit back down.

"Better get those ribs seen to...Couldn't really do that earlier." Tetsunosuke said, before he rushed off to at least get the bandages needed for the task. When he returned, Hiko was sitting on an old, fallen tree; looking a bit pale, but infinitely better than before.

"Are you able to breathe now, Hiko-sensei?" Tetsunosuke asked, concernedly, as he approached.

"Somewhat...It's the first time in a long while...that I've had to contend with broken ribs." Hiko muttered, sourly, as he lowered his gi, and allowed Tetsunosuke to begin wrapping the linen strips around his chest. This got a thoughtful nod from the younger rurouni, as he concentrated on the task before him.

"_I'm starting to wish Takani-san were here. I'm not sure whether just stabilizing these ribs is going to be enough_..._Many of them have snapped from the impact._" Tetsunosuke mused, as he did what he could, then backed away so the older man could catch his breath again.

"_Good to see that you didn't decide to join us, after all, Seijuro._" Hijikata's voice said, as he appeared alongside the two. This earned him an almost scathing glare from the swordmaster for that comment.

"_But he did have us worried, though. So much so that Yamanami almost went back to Kyoto for a doctor himself. He'd forgotten completely that he's dead, and that no one else is able to hear us._" Okita said, as he gazed a bit concernedly at the elder swordsman.

"Why would I be of any concern to you?" Hiko asked, irritably; some of his usual attitude returning as he said that.

"_Well, it's fairly obvious that you think of Himura-san as more of a son than a deshi. I mean, the way you spoke to him yesterday is proof enough._" Okita replied, with an honest smile.

"If you weren't dead already, I'd kill you." Hiko growled, with a hint of what could have been embarrassment in his voice; his expression reminding Tetsunosuke of the one Hijikata had sometimes worn when something had truly annoyed him. Yet, Tetsunosuke had to agree with the deceased commander; even though the Thirteenth master acted like a bully towards the other rurouni, he could tell that there was no true malice behind the words spoken. The relationship between Kenshin and his master seemed more like that of a rather meek son, and his ornery father.

"What say you, Ichimura?" Hiko questioned, moodily.

"I'm not one to say, Hiko-sensei...But, from what I had observed this past week, it makes me wish I'd had a 'shishou' to look up to while growing up. Who knows? It might've kept me from following some of the paths I'd taken." Tetsunosuke murmured, thoughtfully. This got a rather exasperated-sounding sigh from the older man, before he slowly stood up again; uttering a soft growl when his ribs protested, yet managing to stand on his own without help.

"I'm going to the river." Hiko muttered, his voice carrying an underlying command in it that Tetsunosuke almost instinctively picked up.

"Right." Tetsunosuke agreed; falling into his role as page again very easily. Without any further comment, Hiko stiffly walked off, and Tetsunosuke made his way back to the hut to get what was going to be needed.

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When all was said and done, the swordmaster looked a little more like he had when Kenshin had first approached him about completing the training. The only things that hinted at any discomfort were his eyes; Tetsunosuke could see the strain in them very clearly.

"You sure about wearing that mantle? Your collarbone was broken too, you know." Tetsunosuke reminded, from his seat across the yard. By now, they'd returned to the clearing where the hut and kiln were situated. At that, Hiko turned and gave him an irritated glance.

"I'll be rid of it, soon enough." Hiko retorted; even as an unreadable look appeared in his dark eyes upon saying that.

"_I wouldn't be too sure. He might just refuse to take it._" Yamanami murmured. At this, a slight sigh escaped from the elder swordsman.

"You may be right." Hiko reluctantly agreed, then proceeded to enter the hut. Tetsunosuke had to prevent himself from snickering when he heard Hiko snap at the other rurouni for sleeping in so long, and flinched when he heard the crash of Kenshin hitting a wall.

"Not into hugging men, sorry. Don't jump at me like that again." Hiko's voice muttered; the tone getting a true laugh out of Tetsunosuke. Not only was the situation hilarious, he was glad that things hadn't turned out as he'd feared.

"_What a relief!_" Tetsunosuke thought; his smile not fading, even as both rurouni and Hiten master scowled out the door at him.

"Are you going to stay out there all day, Ichimura?" Hiko asked, now truly annoyed.

"Just waiting for the right moment, that's all." Tetsunosuke replied, then added, "After all, I couldn't just interrupt the father/son moment."

"You're still alive, Ichimura...I could still kill you." Hiko threatened.

"And sessha would probably let you do it, Shishou." Kenshin muttered; knowing that the former Wolf of Mibu had heard everything that had just gone on, and was right. It took a moment for Tetsunosuke to rejoin them within the hut; ignoring the scathing looks he was getting from both Kenshin and Hiko for his comments.

"So, how...? How was it possible...?" Kenshin asked, when they were properly inside once again. He was still at a loss as to what had exactly happened just a day and a half before.

"If I had to guess...it'd be this sword." Hiko stated, as he held up the sakabatou shinuchi. To their surprise, they could both see, now, what it was that had narrowly saved the Hiten master's life.

"The stay pin has come out to the point where the blade's almost loose enough to come out. The power of the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki was absorbed by the blade just enough to weaken it." Hiko said, as he gazed thoughtfully at the sword's hilt, and the loose pin, "It is a great sword, indeed, that considers its' master's feelings."

"I'll agree with you there, Hiko-sensei." Tetsunosuke murmured; as he remembered the previous hilt that had held the blade, and how it had crumbled to reveal Arai Shakku's haiku.

"In any case, your initiation into the secret is now complete. As you can now see, it gives even a sakabatou enough power to kill. From here on, as rurouni, train to adjust your strength to a more precise level with your will." Hiko continued, as he tossed the sheathed sakabatou back to Kenshin.

"Aa." Kenshin agreed.

"...Good. Now, quit wasting time and leave the mountain. There are people waiting for the both of you." Hiko muttered.

"_Saya_..." Tetsunosuke mused, as he looked in the direction of the path; knowing that Kenshin was thinking along the same lines he was. And yet, as they stepped outside, once again, they paused when Hiko called out to Kenshin again.

"Hold it." Hiko said, as he removed the mantle from his shoulders (almost, Tetsunosuke noticed, breathing a sigh of relief when the weight was off his injured collarbone) and held it out to the bewildered Kenshin.

"The white mantle, passed down to each new generation...is like a symbol for the inheritor of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu." Hiko murmured, then added, "Take it. You've earned it." For a long moment, both master and apprentice paused; imagining the end result...and Tetsunosuke could almost hear Okita snickering, when a bizarre look crossed Kenshin's face at that idea.

"I must decline...Looks awful on me, anyway." Kenshin mumbled, as he turned away; not realizing that Hiko was now giving Yamanami's ghost an unreadable look.

"_Looks like you're keeping the mantle after all, Hiko-sensei_..." Tetsunosuke mused, as an almost pained scowl appeared on Hiko's face.

"Gomen, Shishou, but I have no intention of becoming the Fourteenth 'Hiko Seijuro'...or of carrying on Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu." Kenshin quietly said, after a few moments, "All I intend to keep...are the teachings."

"Selfish as ever, I see. Well...I don't suppose I should be surprised." Hiko sourly growled, then turned to go back into the hut.

"Selfish or not...I've one more request. While Tetsu and I fight against Shishio's men, will you protect our friends at Aoi-ya?" Kenshin boldly asked. At first, it appeared that the Thirteenth master would agree, then he surprised them, once again.

"Grow up, dammit!" Hiko snarled, bad-temperedly, before adding, "From the moment you said you wouldn't carry on Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, you and I ceased to be master and apprentice. Forget that I was ever your master."

"_So much for that. I guess now Kenshin and I are more in the same boat than ever_..." Tetsunosuke thought, bitterly; thinking he was watching yet another rift form between the two.

"Shishou!" Kenshin yelped, shocked that he'd heard such a thing from the elder swordsman.

"Still...I didn't teach you the ougi to make you suffer. Remember that." Hiko said, in a softer tone, as he carefully replaced the mantle onto his own shoulders again.

"_What the_...?" Tetsunosuke silently asked, when he sensed Hiko's ki shift again; this time hinting that he would indeed go and help, if he was needed.

"Don't worry about your friends. Just go settle the problem with Shishio." Hiko ordered, quietly. With understanding appearing in his amethyst eyes, Kenshin then bowed, and began to walk away. For a few moments longer, Tetsunosuke lingered, then said, "Take care, Hiko-sensei." He never expected to hear what he did, when he started to follow the other rurouni.

"That's 'shishou' to you and Kenshin, Baka." Hiko grumbled, in response. Tetsunosuke allowed a slight smile to cross his face at this, even amidst his surprise. Hiko hadn't denounced Kenshin after all, and was even willing to accept him as an apprentice, as well! For all intensive purposes, he had a father again.

"Of course, Shishou." Tetsunosuke murmured, then silently added, "_And I'll do my best to make myself worthy of it._"

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Saito sighed, as he read the reports coming in. Even though things seemed peaceful now, he was certain, by nightfall that evening, everything would change.

"I've reassigned as many men as I can to patrol Kyoto...per your request, Fujita-kun." one man said, matter-of-factly.

"Thanks." Saito murmured, as he finished reading, and set the report down.

"With the reinforcements from the other prefectures, we'll have nearly five thousand men by evening. Even Shishio won't be able to run amok then." the man said, encouragingly, even though he could see Saito's very evident doubt.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Saito stated, voicing his misgiving as he snuffed out his cigarette in an ashtray near him.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine. Heaven's on our side, it seems." the other officer said, then continued when he got what could have been a confused glance from Saito, "Those...legendary men we were searching for...appeared at Amagatake Station this morning. I told them to come by carriage right away, and should be here any minute." At this, Saito's eyes brightened slightly; was he talking about who he thought he was talking about? Mere moments later, the both perked up when they heard a carriage arrive.

"...Speak of the devil." the officer mumbled, as they both watched two short, red-haired men step out of the carriage; his face paling when he saw the cross-shaped scar on one's left cheek.

"That...is the hitokiri...Himura Battousai. And the other must be the Peacemaker..." the officer murmured, as Saito stood, approached the window, opened it, and called out to the two men below.

"Riding up in a carriage on a weekday afternoon. Playing 'rich man' are you?" Saito asked, even as the officer gave him a nervous look, "What's the story, then? Going back to being hitokiri?"

"We'll see." came a quiet reply that startled Saito into silence for a brief moment.

"Whatever. I've got some urgent business. Come up." Saito commanded, then added, "Good timing too, since the loudmouth's out to lunch." As Tetsunosuke and Kenshin entered the police station, they could only wonder what had been happening while they had been away from civilization.

"_What else has come to light, in the week that we've been out of sight? What other horrors does Shishio have in mind for us and Kyoto?_" Tetsunosuke wondered; knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that events were soon going to be put into motion that had been in the making since ten years prior. Yet he still wondered if they had the strength to stop it, even though Kenshin now had the full mastery of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.

"_We'll just have to wait and see._" Okita murmured, as he materialized beside the two rurouni, and accompanied them upstairs to where Saito waited; foreboding weighing his wandering spirit down heavily, as he went.

Author's Note!

Very quick chapter, I know, but I'm starting to get into the 'swing' of this story again. More action to come, I promise! Thanks for reading!

Gemini14


	21. Flames of Vengeance

Chapter Twenty-One: Flames of Vengeance

"...Set fire to Kyoto?.!" was the aghast shout that was heard, shortly after Saito had told both rurouni of what had been brought to light while they'd been away.

"So says your captive, Cho of the Juppongatana." Saito murmured, grimly. At this, Tetsunosuke could actually feel the blood draining from his face, and his hands becoming cold and clammy. After so much time, they were about to face this crisis again?.!

"This morning, we picked up a suspicious character for interrogation. He confessed to being one of Shishio's men, getting ready for tonight's fire." Saito said, as he lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, and sighed, before adding, "The 'Great Kyoto Fire' is to be sparked tonight at 11:59. That seems certain." For a long moment, Kenshin said nothing else...then an uneasy look came to his eyes.

"Something's odd." Kenshin stated, as Tetsunosuke and the ghostly Okita nodded in agreement.

"You think so, as well?" Saito asked, rhetorically.

"Yeah. We outnumber Shishio's forces overwhelmingly, so his strategy has to be surprise attacks and assassinations. Arson fits that strategy perfectly." Tetsunosuke said, as he gazed solemnly at the map that was unfolded on the table in front of them. Inwardly, Saito felt impressed by how much the younger Wolf's reasoning had matured over the past ten years, yet returned his focus to the conversation when Okita's ghost spoke up, this time.

"_But if their information had been leaked so easily, then the element of surprise has been lost._" Okita stated; seeming vaguely amused when Kenshin jumped back slightly and gave him a spooked look. He'd never expected to see a ghost in this meeting!

"True enough." Saito muttered; hiding a smirk behind the hand that held his cigarette, at Kenshin's reaction to the ghostly First Unit Captain, "Secrecy is a matter of life and death to them. So I've been waiting for one of them to come here and assassinate Cho...but it hasn't happened. It's as though they wanted us to get the information."

"Something stinks about this whole situation...but I can't figure out what." Tetsunosuke growled; getting a quiet agreement from Saito and Kenshin, as well.

"Perhaps...there's something behind the Kyoto Fire that even the Juppongatana haven't been told...Some other objective." Kenshin murmured, thoughtfully, after he'd regained his composure, and now looked at the map.

"_They're modeling their fire after the Ikeda-ya Incident. Maybe there's a clue to be had in just that piece of information alone?_" Okita suggested, as he stood between his two former comrades and gazed solemnly at the map.

"Maybe. Shishio has a dramatic streak. The 'other objective' must have a similar quality of 'play' to it." Kenshin said; silently thanking the ghost for his input on the situation as he said that.

"But what? What is their...wait." Tetsunosuke muttered, when something caught his eye, "Saito-san, at the turning point of the Bakumatsu, during the Boshin War and the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu deceived his own men and sailed for Edo from Osaka Bay. That was the main reason for the imperial army's victory. If Shishio is trying to make some ironic commentary, then the real target of his attack...is Tokyo."

"The Kyoto Fire is only a diversion! His true objective is to fire upon Tokyo from the sea!" Kenshin yelped, as true anger appeared in Saito's amber eyes.

"_He lured enough of the manpower here_..._drew everyone's attention away with his men battling the police_..._That's why he leaked the information to us! __That__ explains things!_" Okita gasped, as the plan of Makoto Shishio became frighteningly clear.

"His target was Tokyo all along, and I fell for it!" Saito snarled; as some concern for his wife and Eiji emerged within his ki.

"If they set sail, it won't matter! They've got to be stopped!" Kenshin shouted.

"Agreed." Tetsunosuke said, decisively. Now was the time to act.

"_Okita-kun, summon Harada, Susumu and Shinpachi. Let them know what is going to happen tonight._" Saito silently said, as he made eye contact with the ghostly captain. Okita smiled and nodded eagerly.

"_Will do, Saito-san!_" Okita said, amiably; fading out almost immediately, so he could attend to his errand.

"Planning on ditching me again?" an angry voice asked, before both Kenshin and Tetsunosuke found themselves reeling from punches to their faces, "Uh-uh. Not this time."

"Sano?.!" Tetsunosuke muttered, in disbelief.

"W-what're you doing here?.!" Kenshin added, as he and the younger rurouni toppled over, only to be caught by the former fight merchant.

"Why am I here? To be your strong right arm, of course!" Sanosuke replied, confidently. At this, Tetsunosuke was once again reminded of the past; since Harada Sanosuke had said something similar, ten years prior. He could tell that Saito was thinking the same thing, since his ki had a hint of what felt like sadness, before he fired off another retort.

"Or two extra left feet, more like." Saito grumbled.

"Hey!" Sanosuke snapped, then added, "Aw, we've got no time to fight! Talk while we run!"

"We can't run to Osaka, fool. We're taking the carriage." Saito growled, in irritation.

"Look, fewer cheap shots, more running, okay?.!" Sanosuke argued back; earning him what sounded like an exasperated sigh from Tetsunosuke for that.

"Got anything to add, Tetsu?" Sanosuke asked, threateningly.

"Not really...Except how much more you remind me of Harada-san than before. That's all." Tetsunosuke murmured, jokingly, "Only he and Okita-san could get under Saito-san's skin like this."

"Ichimura...do you desire to die?" Saito warned, darkly.

"Saito-san, I'm more afraid of what Kenshin's master can do, than any threat you can make, at this point." Tetsunosuke replied, then added, "In the face of that man's power, he makes the whole of the Shinsengumi look like tame puppies!" For a full ten minutes afterwards, there was what seemed to be a stunned silence from Saito; then he collected himself and started quickly descending the stairs, leading the way to the carriage that was outside waiting for them.

"_It'll be midnight when we reach Osaka_..._Will we be able to get there in time?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as they entered the carriage (and Sanosuke got on top behind the driver).

"_Will we be able to stop Shishio's plan?_"

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Night had long since fallen on Osaka Bay, when Makoto Shishio and his entourage arrived. Tsuno stared lifelessly at the deserted port; not even bothering to ask why they had come, nor why they now stood before what appeared to be a derelict ship that had been moored there.

"Troubled Yumi?" Shishio asked, as they stepped onto the gangplank and walked up to the deck. For a few moments, the woman beside him was silent, then she spoke in a soft, uncertain voice.

"I am honored to be included in the assault on Tokyo, which was kept secret from even the Juppongatana. But...do we really have to go on this broken-down old boat?" Yumi asked, confusedly. At this, the bandage-garbed man smirked.

"Tell me, Yumi, was it my looks you fell in love with?" Shishio in turn questioned; getting even more confusion from the bewildered woman.

"Or did you fall for what's inside me? If so, take a look at what's inside here." Shishio finished, then motioned for her to follow him to the innards of the boat itself. Disinterested in anything else as far as the conversation was concerned, Tsuno instead focused his attention on his own thoughts. For ten long years, he'd yearned for the ability to get revenge on the government that had taken what was most precious to him; the people he'd come to regard as elder brothers, and his only remaining family, his little brother. All had disappeared at the start of Meiji.

"_Soon. Soon all will be avenged_..._It seems you were right, Vice-Commander, about my becoming a demon._" Tsuno mused, as a hint of some unknown emotion briefly emerged in his crimson eyes, then faded once again.

"Tsuno-san? Daijobu desu ka?" Soujiro asked, politely.

"Why am I not with the rest of the Juppongatana, Tenken? Wouldn't my expertise be of better use there?" Tsuno in turn asked.

"As always, you get right to the point of the matter, Tsuno-san...I think Shishio-san just wanted to use this opportunity to properly initiate you. And besides, aren't the bullets and gunpowder for those pistols expensive?" Soujiro said, his smile never fading even in the slightest.

"True enough." Tsuno murmured; turning to look when a giddy-looking Yumi happily bounced over to Soujiro.

"Hoji, what's the time?" Shishio asked, as he reappeared on deck.

"Eleven O' Clock, and twenty-two minutes. Thirty-seven minutes until the fire begins, and the _Rengoku_ sets sail." Hoji replied, coolly.

"_Thirty-seven minutes until it all comes together._" Tsuno thought, as what could have been a small smirk crossed his masked features. And had anyone, even Shishio, seen it, they would have shuddered at the almost demonic glint it gave his blood-red eyes.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Life during the Bakumatsu taught me...that two things make the job of a hitokiri easier. The ability to blend into darkness, and the ability to blend into a crowd." Kenshin murmured, as the carriage sped through the darkness.

"If that's the case, then the first condition has already been met...But the second...will require some shape-changing." Tetsunosuke grimly said, as he gripped both of his katanas tightly.

"Aa. Shishio Makoto took sessha's place as a hitokiri. What would he do? 'Hitokiri Battousai' knows it like his own palm. He'd disguise his ship as a merchant vessel." Kenshin continued.

"Then we'll just have to keep our eyes open. There won't be too many ships that will be preparing to set sail this late at night." Tetsunosuke stated.

"You surprise me, Ichimura. It seems your brain hasn't rotted at all, during the past ten years." Saito muttered, actually seeming pleased with the younger Wolf's insight. Tetsunosuke only gave him a deadpan look in response to that.

"Who did you take insult lessons from, Saito-san? Hijikata-san or Kenshin's master?" Tetsunosuke muttered, dryly; his expression not changing in the slightest.

"That's why sessha told you on the way back that Shishou is more dangerous than Saito." Kenshin mumbled.

"Well, my friend, I certainly believe you now." Tetsunosuke said, his expression not changing in the slightest, "And we must prevent them from ever meeting."

"Can't I give you a compliment every now and again?" Saito asked; smirking when he saw the two rurouni give him sour looks.

"No. Not without making it sound like an even worse insult." Tetsunosuke grumbled. At this, Saito only allowed himself an amused snort, then settled back slightly so he could enjoy one last cigarette before they arrived in the port.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"It's late. We should be seeing flames by now." Hoji muttered, as he tensely watched the dark town from his place on the _Rengoku_'s deck. Behind him, a select few also gazed in that direction.

"They're up against five thousand police, so a little delay is to be expected." Shishio coolly reassured; calmly smoking his pipe and not in the least perturbed by this. For two hours now, they had been waiting for the first bright flames to begin consuming the city.

"A little delay, yes, but we're already two hours behind schedule." Hoji muttered, irritably.

"You needn't worry, Hoji. There's no need for such impatience. It isn't like anyone's going to find us here." Tsuno growled; earning an approving smirk from Shishio for that.

"True enough." Shishio agreed, as a very drunk Yumi draped herself across his back and crooned in his ear.

"Shishio-sama! Don't tell me...you're going soft on me?" Yumi slurred, happily, from between hiccups, "Even if it is your plan, to watch memories going up in smoke must be heartbreaking, hmm? So you want to watch the end of it." This got what could have been a snicker from Shishio, had he been anyone else; giving his head a slight, amused shake at her inebriated statement.

"You've had too much, Yumi." Shishio muttered; looking aside when he sensed Tsuno's vaguely exasperated agreement to that, then continued, "Why would I feel nostalgia for this rotten age? We're setting sail to my glory! The flames that I am waiting for are fireworks...Fireworks to celebrate our declaration of war. Isn't that so, Tsuno-kun?" Tsuno only nodded; his crimson eyes burning even brighter than before. Then Shishio stood, and allowed himself a slight sigh of disappointment.

"And yet, even so...I do feel some regret about putting off my fight with that man." Shishio admitted, before one of the lookouts shouted to get Hoji's attention.

"Hoji-sama!" the lookout said, as the other man turned to him.

"Do you see flames?.!" Hoji asked, excitedly; wondering if the plan was finally coming to fruition. The lookout shook his head, vigorously.

"N-no...It's a carriage! A carriage is coming this way...and fast!" the lookout replied, as the clattering of hooves and wheels finally came to their ears. They could only watch as the carriage came to a halt in front of the _Rengoku_, and as four men got off.

"It can't be! How...how did they know?.!" Hoji cried, aghast at this development. Tsuno wondered the same thing, as he gazed down at the four who stood glaring up at them; his heart freezing in mid-beat when he got a good look at one of them. Wild, bright red hair framed a youthful face and trailed down between sturdy young shoulders. Two swords could be seen on either side of his waist, and his stance hearkened back to days of hard training. Yet it was the eyes that reached the deepest; clear, red-brown eyes hinted at the wisdom he had gained, over the last decade...A decade he hadn't thought he'd lived through.

"_Tetsu_..._nosuke? Is that you?.!_" Tsuno wondered, allowing his jaw to drop for only a moment, before vigorously shaking the thought from his mind, "_No. It can't be. He's dead. He can't be here, in this era! It just isn't possible!_" Then another, more troubling thought came to his mind, as the sight of the young man was burned into his retinas.

"_Or is it?_"

Author's Note!

So sorry for the long delay and the short chapter! (Hope I haven't disappointed anyone!) Writer's block is being a bit of a pain again, but don't worry! I will finish this story, no matter what! Thanks for reading!

Gemini14


	22. To Stop a Fire

Chapter Twenty-Two: To Stop a Fire

A sepulchral silence had almost seemed to settle over the harbor for a few moments, as the four of them glared up at Shishio Makoto's ship. Tetsunosuke was finding it difficult to suppress the snarl that bubbled up from within him at the sight of the dark-clothed crewmen, the few Juppongatana that were in attendance, and their bandage-clad leader.

"_I hope Okita-san and the rest have found Sano and Shinpachi by now. The Oniwabanshu's going to need all the help they can get!_" Tetsunosuke mused; narrowing his eyes as he thought this. How in the world were they going to stop Shishio's ship from setting sail?

………………………….

Similar feelings of desperation were running through the two men in question, as they raced the wind to get to the Aoi-ya in time to prevent the fire. Harada and Shinpachi had been very surprised when the ghosts of their dead comrades had appeared before them; yet even they had felt unnerved by what was being carried out right under their noses.

"Shit! I can't believe this is happening again!" Harada snarled, as he hefted his spear in one hand, and readied his sword for the battle with the other.

"Same here, Sano." Shinpachi agreed, skidding to a halt when they heard some cries of pain and death come from a street just beyond the one they were entering.

"Go find the Aoi-ya, Shin. I'm gonna go see what's going on in that direction." Harada said, his amber-flecked eyes narrowing as the scent of blood came to his sensitive nose.

"Right." Shinpachi agreed, knowing that his old friend and comrade could more than handle himself in a fight. With no further words between them, Harada took off down the alley towards the death-scent. When he arrived, even he was almost sickened by the sight before him. Men lay dead on the ground by the dozens; sliced into pieces like so much livestock.

"Kami….." Harada muttered, in disbelief. Even he had never seen this much butchery in his entire time as a captain in the Shinsengumi! He was roused from his horrified thoughts by someone entering the street again.

"Hmm? Someone else wishes to test his luck against my scythe?" a voice asked, as it's owner sauntered out of the shadows towards him, "I do so hope you'll be more of a challenge!" With no more forewarning, Harada was forced to leap aside when a quicksilver flash almost swept his head from his neck. Immediately, he sank into a ready stance; blocking another blow aimed at his head as he did so.

"You certainly have a bloodthirsty streak." Harada growled, even as an almost leering grin appeared on his face. The figure only smiled back at him in response.

"Oh, I try!" his attacker chirped, then added, "I am known as Kamatari the Scythe. Who might you be?"

"Harada Sanosuke, former Tenth Captain of the Shinsengumi…..and a man who is determined to protect those in this city from this fire of yours' at all costs." Harada replied, coolly, as the light of challenge made his eyes seem all the more feral.

"Is that so? Then that will make it even more imperative that I kill you, won't it?" Kamatari questioned, gleefully.

"You can certainly try." Harada retorted, as he tightened his grip on the handle of his spear. For a few seconds, it seemed that the earth itself was holding its' breath, as the two warriors stared coldly at one another; then, in an explosion of dust, the battle began in earnest. He was hardly even aware when more police officers arrived on the scene behind him; gaping at him in shock and wonder as he fought. Vaguely, he could hear it when they cocked and aimed their guns at the masked men on the other side of the street, yet didn't fire for fear of hitting him with their bullets.

"Don't worry about me! Hit as many of 'em as you can! Don't let them start any fires!" Harada commanded; shouting over his shoulder to the officers when he'd managed to get Kamatari's full attention on him. With nods of agreement, the police began firing their pistols and rifles into the horde. He almost uttered a yelp of shock and pain when something slashed his back; stumbling backwards a little bit before falling to his knees, blood pouring freely from the gash left by what appeared to be claws.

"He's mine, Henya! Find your own prey!" Kamatari snapped, irritated that his battle with the former Shinsengumi captain had been so rudely interrupted.

"We have a schedule to keep, Kamatari! There's no time to be playing with small fry like this!" Henya replied, impatiently, and then added, "Shishio-sama is waiting."

"Oh! Well, in that case….." Kamatari said, before sending his scythe downwards in a sweeping arc; one that would have cleaved Harada's head in two, were it not for another timely arrival preventing it.

"Have I missed much?" a familiar voice asked, as it's owner lifted the wounded man onto his shoulders.

"Nope. Not too much. What kept ya, Yamazaki?" Harada replied, in kind, from between pained gasps.

"Foot traffic, mainly. I haven't seen this many people afoot this late at night since the Ikeda-ya Incident a little over ten years ago." Yamazaki replied.

"Funny you should mention that…..But there's no time to explain, now……Do you know where the Aoi-ya is?" Harada questioned. The onmitsu only gave him a slight nod.

"I should. Are you certain you can continue? Your wound looks deep." Yamazaki stated, with a trace of concern emerging in his normally nonplused tone.

"Yeah." Harada answered, before he and the onmitsu raced off in the same direction Shinpachi had gone in; leaving that scene of carnage in the hopes of preventing a repeat of it at the inn.

………………………….

Shishio only calmly sneered, as he gazed at the four men standing resolutely before him.

"Your cleverness shall be rewarded….Himura Battousai, Ichimura the Peacemaker, Saito Hajime, and…..?" Shishio trailed off, when his eye alighted on the youngest man standing there; his confusion becoming evident even as he held the spyglass to his eye.

"There's one I don't know." Shishio murmured, as he handed the glass to Soujiro, so he could see who it was. With his usual smile, Soujiro looked through the spyglass as well.

"Who, him? Just a friend of Himura and Ichimura. At least…..I think he is….." Soujiro said, before Houji cut in.

"Sagara Sanosuke. A street fighter well-known in Tokyo…..but by far the weakest of the four." Houji muttered, not realizing that his words were getting a sneeze from the fight merchant as a result.

"In other words, a tagalong." Shishio said, with a smirk; almost able to hear the second sneeze from the fight merchant from where he stood.

……………………

"The enemy's surprised by our lineup." Sanosuke said, as he wiped his still-dripping nose on his sleeve with a snicker. He ignored Saito when he grumbled another irritated 'Baka' under his breath, and when Kenshin and Tetsunosuke gave him unreadable deadpan looks (since they'd been in the line-of-fire for the sneeze itself).

"Still, the big surprise is yet to come!" Sanosuke said, eagerly.

"So you say….." Tetsunosuke muttered, dryly; more than a little annoyed with Sanosuke, at this point.

………………………..

"So….What do we do now, Shishio-sama? Settle the score from Shingetsu?" Soujiro asked.

"I'd love to, but we can't waste time here." Shishio replied, with a sigh, then added, "Of course, I can't look as though I'm running away, either."

"Then what is your next course of action, Shishio-sama?" Tsuno asked; finally breaking his long, stunned silence and giving the former shadow hitokiri a curious look. Shishio only gave him a slight smirk.

"Curious, are you? Then I will show you." Shishio said, "Houji, get everyone inside, and prepare to get rid of the outer layer. We'll show them what they're up against….and, once they have seen the futility, then we will leave."

"Of course, Shishio-sama." Houji responded, as he began to usher the crew and two Juppongatana members inside; obeying his master's words to the letter.

………………………..

"So, what now?" Saito asked, as he gazed out at the ship with narrowed amber eyes.

"We get near the ship, underwater. Then, from the bottom of the hull….." Kenshin began to suggest, before Sanosuke interrupted him.

"Hold on. I have something better than a sword." Sanosuke stated, as he pulled something from his pocket. Almost immediately, Tetsunosuke backed away from him; his eyes widening when he saw what the fight-merchant had in hand.

"These are some grenades Katsu had made before I left Tokyo. It's a new design that doesn't need fire for an ignition." Sanosuke suggested, before Saito blasted him with his own version of a grenade.

"Baka." Saito growled; getting an exasperated snarl from Sanosuke in response.

"Again with the insults! What's so idiotic about this?.!" Sanosuke raged, before Kenshin and Tetsunosuke could stop him.

"If you don't know, then you're an even bigger baka." Saito muttered, then added, "You're actually starting to worry me, here."

"Unfortunately, Sano, Saito-san does have a point. Even if they don't need fire, once they're underwater, the gunpowder will get wet. New design or no, they'll never go off." Tetsunosuke explained, patiently.

"So, Baka, just cool your heels here till the police arrive." Saito growled; nevertheless actually jumping a little when a loud explosion came from the ship itself. Swiftly they returned their gazes to the spot where the ship had been sitting; just in time to see it seemingly blow itself to pieces.

"Wh-what?.!" Tetsunosuke yelped, in disbelief.

"Shishio's ship self-destructed?.!" Sanosuke added; neither of them noticing Saito's look of unadorned shock at this turn of events.

"Did a cannon blow?.!" Saito heard himself ask, over the din.

"No…." Kenshin replied, eyes narrowing as he spoke and keeping his gaze on one thing in particular. Following his line of sight, Saito, Tetsunosuke, and Sanosuke all saw it when the smoke cleared and the gleaming metal hull of an ironclad emerged.

"You seem surprised." Shishio's voice called out, as he appeared on the deck of the ironclad, "Fully three-fifths of my resources went into this ironclad, _**Rengoku**_. It would be a shame if you weren't surprised."

"Damn….." Tetsunosuke muttered, gripping his twin katanas tightly as he did so.

"Took the word right outta my mouth, Tetsu." Sanosuke mumbled, in agreement.

"An ironclad. If an individual is able to obtain such a thing…..then the Meiji Government is doomed either way." Saito murmured, then asked, "Battousai, can you perform 'Zantetsu'?"

"'Metal Slash'? Not underwater." Kenshin replied, grimly.

"Change in plans, then….." Tetsunosuke said, then looked back at Sanosuke, "Sano, Saito-san and I will help Kenshin lure their cannons away. You go and find a small boat….Go around behind them and destroy their engine." Before anything more could be said, they heard a cannon's blast, and the shell came screaming in.

"LET'S GO!!" The three shouted, as they launched themselves off of the pier….just seconds before the place where they had been standing was blown to bits.

…………………….

"First cannon hit!" one of the crewmen shouted; confirming that the round had struck something.

"Shall we fire another round, sir?" Houji asked.

"No. That's enough of the Armstrong. Prepare the Gatling instead…..and make it quick." Shishio muttered, smirking when he sensed something, and not seeming in the least bit surprised when the three who had leaped into the water to avoid the Armstrong cannon's blast leaped onto the deck. With the battle-light still in their eyes, the two rurouni and the former Shinsengumi glared up at him from where they stood.

"A fine charge, there…..except that you took it too lightly. You three may have read my intention, but it works the other way, too. I can see your plan forming, as well." Shishio sneered, as he glanced from the corner of his eye. With alarm forming within them, Kenshin and Tetsunosuke both looked over the side of the ship, and saw Sanosuke running full-tilt across the remains of the pier floating in the water.

"Sano!.!" Both rurouni yelped, fearing for the younger man's life, at this point.

"I knew all along that you were just a diversion! Gatling gun, fire!" Shishio commanded, and the weapon roared to life. With a growl of his own, Tetsunosuke surged forward; crossing his double blades in an effort to do a Nibai Ookami Kiba when he got to the monstrous gun itself. He was stopped by a bullet singing past his head; looking up in shock to see where it had come from. A little above and in front of him, a black-clad man now stood; crimson eyes chilling Tetsunosuke right to the core.

"Don't be so eager to rush to your own death, Peacemaker." The man growled; his gravelly tone sending more chills down the younger rurouni's back, and freezing him effectively in place.

"_Who the hell?.! His voice_….._It's familiar, somehow!_" Tetsunosuke's mind yelped, even as something else occurred where Sanosuke was, and shocked epithets were heard from Shishio and his men.

"Th-that…..was Anji's 'Mastery of the Two Layers'!" Houji cried, in shock, when he beheld the water getting thrown high into the air by Sanosuke's punch alone.

"That man…..He's no mere tagalong!" Shishio added, the latter part of his comment almost going unheard by the rest who stood with him, and those before him. With a mighty yell, Sanosuke threw the hand grenades for all he was worth. Seeing this, the crew of the _**Rengoku**_ backed away in fear; only returning to their positions when Houji reassured them.

"Do not fear! It's just some hand grenades! They may damage the hull, but they can't hurt the inside!" Houji shouted, as they all listened to the tiny canisters hit the hull…..and then allowed all hell to break loose. With a thunderous crack, the midsection of the _**Rengoku**_ was blasted apart by a mighty explosion. The remainder of the ship shook violently; toppling people and cargo alike before it settled enough for some of them to get their wits about them.

"It seems your ally has survived after all, Peacemaker." The black-clad man growled, not having moved from his position in front of the Gatling gun.

"More than what I can say about this hell-cursed ship." Tetsunosuke replied, boldly; even though a sickening feeling was settling within him. The other man's ki was seeming more and more familiar…..

"We've got to regroup! Sectors, report your damage!" Houji shouted, into the pipeline that connected the ship's rooms together.

"Engine room destroyed! Screw shaft completely broken!" two distinct voice replied, desperately.

"This is the stern! Fire's breaking out! We can't contain it! The flames are heading for the armory! In ten minutes, it's gonna blow!" another man shouted, in dismay.

"Hull breach! It won't hold!" another voice said, then added, "Houji-sama, please order the evacuation! Houji-sama!" At this, Houji could only beat his fist against the wall in barely-contained fury.

"All that effort put into _**Rengoku**_……All those weapons, personally chosen…..I refuse to lose to an ignorant thug like that! Curse him…..CURSE HIM!!" Houji snarled, as unadorned hatred filled his eyes, and he glared out at the trio standing resolutely on the deck.

"It's not just him. It was that man's arrival that undid us…..No. Himura Battousai and Ichimura the Peacemaker saw through my plan and realized the location of the ship. Saito Hajime prepared a brilliant counter-plan with the resources of the police. But it was I who took them too lightly! We were defeated by the carelessness of Shishio Makoto!" Shishio growled, as he glared down at the three men, and the fierceness in their eyes, "_**Rengoku**_ was a high price to pay in order to have learned this…..But I have realized that, in order to take this country, I'll need to kill you four first."

"Shishio-san. The score from Shingetsu? Shall we?" Soujiro reminded and suggested, with a slight smile.

"Fine. Only….." Shishio agreed, trailing off when a thought occurred to him.

"Only?" Soujiro questioned, with a puppyish tilt of his head for added emphasis.

"The place must be the shrine of six gates, located midway up Mt. Hiei, on the northeast side. In other words, our lair. There, we will have no further interruptions. We will meet you….The Juppongatana and I alone!" Shishio said, angrily.

"Ten against three, then." Tetsunosuke murmured, his tone as harsh and unfeeling as he could make it.

"Not to be difficult, but wouldn't it be quicker to do it three-on-three? There's still time before the ship sinks." Saito suggested, with a sneer, as he started to unsheathe his sword….only to have Kenshin place one hand over the pommel, and look directly into Shishio's furious red eyes.

"A six-gated shrine on Hiei Mountain. That's detail enough." Kenshin intoned; getting an agreeing nod from Tetsunosuke as well.

"Shishio-sama, it seems we're ready to evacuate. Please hurry." The black-clothed man rasped, as he motioned to the lifeboats that were getting ready to disembark.

"Battousai, then, as now, you remain only a diversion along the way to taking over this country. Now, though, you have become a diversion worth risking my life for. From here on, I will be on my guard. Come at me when ready." Shishio snarled, before disappearing into the smoke, with the two Juppongatana members at his side. As they watched the evacuation from the sinking ironclad's deck, Tetsunosuke could still feel only ice in his soul, from where he'd sensed the familiarity in his enemy's ki.

"You all right, Ichimura?" Saito asked; with a hint of concern sneaking into his voice as he spoke.

"Aa. Just a little spooked, is all." Tetsunosuke murmured, in response.

"Feh." Saito mumbled, as he lit another cigarette; casually snuffing the match out with the sole of his shoe as he did so.

"The men on this ship are probably the most loyal of Shishio's men." Kenshin stated, as he gazed out at the lifeboats, and the people in them.

"That's true. They wouldn't have left without Shishio. If the fight had started here, their escape would have been delayed, causing senseless deaths. Friend or foe, it's best to avoid making victims." Tetsunosuke said, catching on to what Kenshin was trying to say, and putting it into words.

"You're both too soft, as usual. Can you beat Shishio like this, Battousai?" Saito asked, disgustedly. Kenshin shrugged.

"Who can say? But innocent lives will not fall in sessha's battles. Not ever." Kenshin stated, stubbornly. This earned him another snort from the tall cop for his comment.

"Even without planning, this still came out the way you'd both wanted it to." Saito grumbled; not even turning when Sanosuke finally arrived on the deck.

"YES!! Never fear, Sagara Sanosuke's here! Being on Shishio Makoto!" Sanosuke shouted, enthusiastically; earning himself a chagrined look from Saito, and identical surprised looks from both rurouni.

"But Sano……Shishio is….." Tetsunosuke said, as he pointed out the distant lifeboats, and as Sanosuke uttered a rather peeved snarl and started shouting at the people in the lifeboats.

"BAKA." Saito growled, as a blood vessel appeared on his brow.

"Must you be so harsh?" Kenshin asked, in exasperation, then added, "We would never have been able to sink the _**Rengoku**_ without him. Sano's more dependable than you think."

"I know that much without being told." Saito muttered, in annoyance, as he turned away from the ship's railing, "But it doesn't change the fact that he's a baka." This earned him some sighs from Tetsunosuke and Kenshin, but at least they knew now that the elder Wolf of Mibu now reluctantly regarded the brash fight merchant as an ally. When they had reached the shore again, Tetsunosuke could only wonder what Mt Hiei held in store for them.

"_There may have been death, this night, but at least we'd managed to stop the Great Fire. This first battle_….._has been a victory for us._" Tetsunosuke mused, as bright moonlight finally broke through the clouds, and illumined the quiet port before them….and the hints of the battle they had just concluded.

Author's Note!

So sorry for the wait, minna! Hope this has been worth it!

Gemini14


	23. Shadows of Doubt

Chapter Twenty-Three: Shadows of Doubt

Tetsunosuke was only half-aware, as they walked through the streets of Kyoto, the following morning. His full attention, however, was the sickening familiarity of the ki he'd felt from one of his enemies only hours earlier.

"_But why? Why was it familiar? How could it be? Who was that man?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, grimly; eyes narrowing as the answers eluded him, once again.

"Tetsu? Daijobu desu ka?" Kenshin asked, when he'd noticed how quiet the younger rurouni had become. Startled out of his dark musings, Tetsunosuke jerked his head up and looked at him.

"What? Did you say something, Kenshin?" Tetsunosuke asked; looking up and seeing the concern that was on both of the other men's faces.

"You've been out of it since last night. What's up, now?" Sanosuke questioned, in turn.

"Nothing…..Just trying to figure something out, is all. No need to worry." Tetsunosuke murmured; trying to reassure his two comrades of that much.

"About that black-clad man's ki?" Kenshin asked, rhetorically; knowing he'd guessed correctly when the younger rurouni stiffened slightly, gave him an unreadable glance, and then nodded.

"You could say that. What did you notice about it?" Tetsunosuke said, as he looked at the former hitokiri questioningly.

"Sessha wasn't able to discern much….aside from the fact that he seemed to know you." Kenshin replied, then silently added, "_And his ki felt very similar to yours'._"

"He'd felt familiar to me, as well…..But I still don't know why." Tetsunosuke admitted, with a sigh, as they neared the Aoi-ya; seeming surprised when he noticed that Yahiko was standing guard outside of it (along with the ghostly Okita, as well).

"Kenshin! Sanosuke! Tetsu!" Yahiko greeted, happily; glad to see the two rurouni and the former fight merchant again.

"Yahiko!" Sanosuke replied, then added with a smirk, "They making you stand outside? What'd you do now? Get into a fight with Yutaro again?"

"I'm standing guard!" Yahiko snapped, irritably, as steam erupted from both ears at the fight merchant's teasing.

"_And what about you, Okita-san? Did you try to steal Hijikata-san's haiku book again?_" Tetsunosuke added, grinning when a deadpan look crossed Okita's normally cheerful features.

"_Very funny, Tetsu._" Okita muttered, then glanced over his shoulder when Yahiko called out to his instructor.

"Ne, Kaoru! Kenshin's back!" Yahiko shouted, with a grin; watching as Kaoru slowly opened the door and peeked out at them.

"_Must be afraid that Kenshin is going to scold her for following us here._" Tetsunosuke mused, as he watched Saya appear right behind her.

"What's with the skulkin' around?" Sanosuke asked, as he irritably opened the door all the way, and glared down at the two women (not even turning to look when Yutaro arrived on the scene via another door).

"Sorry to have worried you, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin murmured, softly; smiling warmly as he said that.

"Likewise, Saya." Tetsunosuke added, abashedly. At this, the two young women beamed at them; Kaoru's smile tinged with a little more relief than Saya's, since she'd been fearing a show of temper from Kenshin for being there.

"You two actually got her to come." Sanosuke said, quietly; relief appearing in his own brown eyes at this, since he could actually sense the renewed spirit within the kendo instructor.

"We'd made a promise, didn't we?" Yutaro finally said, breaking his silence as he watched the two rurouni reunite with the women.

"And what about the ougi?" Kaoru questioned, curiously; watching as the two rurouni exchanged glances and nodded.

"It is sessha's…..mostly. Now it's up to the purity of the heart." Kenshin replied.

"_And the strength of an incredibly stubborn will._" Tetsunosuke silently added; glancing at Saya when she gripped his sleeve and gave him a wondering look.

"You found something as well, while you were up there…..Didn't you?" Saya asked; knowing just from looking at him that he had indeed picked up something more, as well. At this, Tetsunosuke could only offer them an unreadable smile.

"I did…..But it isn't something I can put into words…..I will say this, though….This is the most complete I have been since the end of the Bakumatsu." Tetsunosuke said, confidently.

"No chance of you going off the deep end like you both had in the dojo?" Sanosuke quipped, semi-seriously.

"No chance." Kenshin reassured, calmly, then asked, "And how is Misao-dono?" At this, Kaoru's expression fell.

"You won't like this….." Kaoru started to explain, as an icy chill raced down the spines of both rurouni. Moments later, they were both flying down the hall at almost top speed; hearts racing at the implications of this.

"_That fool! The letter was meant to raise every Oniwabanshu in Kyoto_…._but with her pigheaded personality, she'd have to take it on herself! Dammit!_" Tetsunosuke inwardly snarled; knowing just by reading Kenshin's ki that the older rurouni was thinking along the same lines he was. Of course, when they got to Misao's room, what they saw there was the exact opposite of what they had expected to see. There sat Misao, crying furious tears and beating on the floor with both fists, all the while shouting 'Shame!' at the tops of her lungs.

"How could I let an enemy take my back?! Shame, shame, shame!" Misao moaned, angrily, as both Kenshin and Tetsunosuke stared at her in shock.

"She's been like this since last night." Saya muttered, as she gave the self-proclaimed 'Okashira' a dry look, "She wasn't hurt, but it was close."

"She seems to be taking it rather hard…." Kenshin stated; ignoring the rather sarcastic 'You think?' that came from Tetsunosuke as a response to that.

"It was a crazed warrior that'd had clothes that were covered in eyes, and an eye mask…." Yutaro said, remembering the previous night with chilling clarity….and, for once, getting a nod of agreement from Yahiko as well.

"Yeah, and the mask itself had the symbol 'shingan' or 'Mind's eye' on it. I think he was blind!" Yahiko added, quietly, noticing when a look of realization crossed Sanosuke's features.

"Usui….the 'Blind Sword' of the Juppongatana! I'm told he's of their best…..but wait….if he took your back, then why aren't you dead?!" Sanosuke asked, as he gave the teenaged onmitsu a wondering look.

"It was strange…." Kaoru murmured, as she recalled the chilling moment when it had appeared that Usui was about to strike Misao down……

…………………….

"_Misao-chan!_" Kaoru had yelped, when the sinister figure had appeared behind the onmitsu, and raised his weapon to kill her. Seconds later, another figure had appeared; this one having the appearance of a monk!

"_Anji, what is the meaning of this?_" Usui growled, angrily; raising the blindfold from over his blinded eyes to 'glare' at him.

"_All but Kamatari's and Henya's units are fleeing. Any more fighting this night is meaningless._" The monk, Anji, replied, coldly; ignoring Misao as she gazed up at them with wide, stunned blue eyes.

"_That isn't what I asked you, Anji. I want to know why you interrupted my pleasures. Depending on your answer, I may even kill you._" Usui snarled, his rough voice sending almost a chill through the girl on the rooftop with them.

"_Usui, you joined the Juppongatana on one condition, did you not?_" Anji asked, then added, "_Well, so did I_….._and on the same condition._"

"….._'Life taken, life given'. The right to do whatever you wish with the enemy's life_…._No matter what your orders._" Usui murmured, with a slight smirk; now finally 'seeing' Anji's point.

"_I do not wish to take __any__ life without reason._" Anji growled, as a tense stare-down began between them…..

……………………….

"They stared at each other for about half an hour without moving…..and then suddenly turned and left without saying another word." Kaoru said, as she finished her narrative, and gave the three men a grave look.

"Don't forget….about us, Jou-chan." A voice gasped, as two lean figures emerged from one of the rooms nearby and grimly smiled at her.

"Sano! Shinpachi!" Tetsunosuke yelped; glad to see his former comrades, yet alarmed when he noticed that Harada was hurt.

"Good to see you too, Puppy-kun! How've you been, the past ten years?" Shinpachi greeted, good-naturedly; seemingly surprised when Tetsunosuke didn't even react to being called by his old nickname, and instead smiled at them warmly.

"Fair. Looks like last night's battle was a bit rougher on you than I'd thought! You all right, Sano?" Tetsunosuke asked, concernedly.

"Nothing I can't handle. It just means I'm gonna have some matching scars on my back, that's all." Harada replied, with a laugh, even though the pain from the injury was readily apparent in his amber eyes.

"So you two also know Tetsu?" Sanosuke asked, somewhat surprised by this turn of events (along with the added knowledge that Anji was one of their enemies).

"Hai. Nagakura Shinpachi, formerly of the Shinsengumi, and this knucklehead with me is Harada Sanosuke." Shinpachi said, introducing himself and Harada while he was at it.

"So you have also come to help fight against Shishio?" Kenshin heard himself ask.

"Yeah. We got into town last night, just in time to help out against the 'fire-setters'. Though some bastard took my back in the middle of a fight." Harada growled, as he painfully straightened and stood on his own.

"By the time Yamazaki and Sano got here, the showdown between those other two 'Juppongatana' members had already ended, and I arrived just seconds before them, and from a different direction." Shinpachi murmured, then glanced at Misao, "But at least you'd managed to get out of that without getting killed, kid." Yet, none of them were in the least bit surprised when Misao showed that she had not heard a single word of the conversation.

"But there's more to it! There's another dangerous guy you need to look out for!" Yutaro said, and, when he was sure that he had both Kenshin's and Tetsu's attention, continued, "We didn't tell you before 'cause we were afraid that it would disturb Kenshin's training…..but Shinomori Aoshi is here!"

"Aoshi?! In Kyoto?!" Kenshin yelped, in shock. Yutaro and Yahiko both nodded.

"_More bad news_….._Tetsu, do you have a moment?_" Okita's voice called, startling Tetsunosuke into looking at the door leading out into the 'yard' behind the inn.

"_Be out there in just a minute, Okita-san._" Tetsunosuke replied, as he made a move towards the door.

"Something the matter, Tetsunosuke? You've gone pale." Saya said, worriedly, when she'd noticed that something was bothering the younger rurouni.

"It's nothing, Saya. Just need to step outside for a bit. That's all." Tetsunosuke replied.

"You shouldn't be that disturbed over Aoshi being in Kyoto, Tetsu. What's goin' on?" Sanosuke asked; surprised when he got a grave look from Tetsunosuke as a response.

"I'm afraid I may wish it was the former okashira that I should be worried about, before all is said and done. You may or may not believe me, but….." Tetsunosuke started to say, then sighed and shook his head. They wouldn't believe him, even if he told them.

"_Only one thing to do, then._" Tetsunosuke mused, then looked at Okita's ghost and nodded. Within seconds, the spirit of the First Shinsengumi Unit captain was visible to them all; smiling softly when some of them backpedaled away from him in fright.

"Okita-san…..what is it you have to tell me?" Tetsunosuke questioned, softly; approaching the ghost and gazing solemnly at his translucent face.

"_Tetsu_……_Minna, Shinomori Aoshi isn't the only one you need to worry about, in this time of turmoil_……_Ichimura Tatsunosuke is another._" Okita warned, as he watched Tetsunosuke's face pale even further.

"Tatsu…..? He's joined the Juppongatana too…..? Why?" Tetsunosuke whispered, just barely able to voice his disbelief and even horror at the news.

"_He'd thought you were killed during the Battle of Toba Fushimi, when he couldn't find you on the battlefield_……_Not realizing that you had survived, and were already heading away from it on your path as a rurouni. He'd_….._been approached by Shishio Makoto with the offer to avenge your death_….._and tear down the Meiji Government while doing that._" Okita stated, grimly.

"Then that explains why that black-clothed guy's ki had felt so familiar…..Kami-sama…." Tetsunosuke muttered, as dread settled like a stone in his gut.

"But that's crazy! If that's the case, then by now he must know that Tetsu is still alive!" Kaoru shouted, voicing her shock at this turn of events. Okita only shook his head.

"_Iie. That isn't the case._" Okita replied, solemnly.

"Now they are our enemies…..and we…..have to destroy them…..Right, Ichimura?" Misao asked, finally returning to her senses enough to say that much. The younger rurouni could only nod, sadly.

"Misao-dono……Tetsu….." Kenshin muttered, as resolve settled in Tetsunosuke's reddish-brown eyes.

"_I may be a demon in human skin_….._but I never would have imagined_….._or wanted_….._Tatsu-nii to be one. Is there a way for me to redeem his soul without killing him? Or will I have to carry out the Law of the Shinsengumi on him?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as sickening doubt returned to plague him, as never before.

Author's Note!

Not a very exciting chapter, granted, but the best I've been able to do for a while! (Been down with a cold, so I haven't been able to write very well, for the past week or so...) The more exciting chapters are just ahead, though! Stay tuned!

Gemini14


	24. The Eve of Battle

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Eve of Battle

Night had since fallen on the city of Kyoto, and yet, already, a whirlwind of events had come and gone. Okina had awakened during the afternoon, and the announcement had arrived from Saito that just the four of them were going to Mt. Hiei in the morning.

"_And yet, even before we have left, one man has already been somewhat vindicated from what he had done_….._But what of Tatsu? Has he given his soul completely over to demons? Or is there something in him that is still striving to be human?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he sat on the Aoi-ya's roof; gazing into the distance.

"You as well, Tetsu?" Kenshin asked, as he came out and sat down beside him.

"Yeah. This feels almost like the night before a raid, doesn't it?" Tetsunosuke said, thoughtfully.

"Aa. It does. Ten years of wandering…..have all come down to this." Kenshin sighed, wearily.

"All will be decided tomorrow…..Even though I know we leave early in the morning, I can't sleep…..Not when I'm this close to so many bad memories." Tetsunosuke murmured, uneasily; voicing Kenshin's sentiments exactly.

"Kenshin? Tetsu? What're you two doing up?" Kaoru asked, as she and Saya climbed up as well.

"You'd said that you wanted to rest…..Are you both all right?" Saya questioned, concernedly. At this, she got a warm smile from Tetsunosuke, before he moved over to make some room next to him for her.

"We'll be okay, Saya. No need to worry." Tetsunosuke reassured; holding her close when she'd sat down beside him

"As Tetsu had said, we'll be fine, Kaoru-dono. Already an hour has been spent sleeping." Kenshin added.

"One hour? Is that enough?" Kaoru questioned, concernedly; looking from one rurouni to the other with mild surprise in her eyes.

"It will have to be." Tetsunosuke murmured, his own eyes narrowing when he thought of what waited for them in the mountain; looking down when Saya tightened her grip on his gi, and trembled slightly. For a few moments, there was thoughtful silence amidst the four, then Kaoru spoke up again.

"….Ne, Kenshin?" Kaoru softly said.

"Hmm?" Kenshin replied.

"What you'd said this afternoon…..about the 'purity of heart'…..What does it mean? I've been thinking about it, but I don't understand." Kaoru said, voicing her confusion on the matter, and becoming annoyed when Kenshin offered her a gentle smile in return.

"It's fine if you don't understand, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin reassured; seeming startled when she snapped at him.

"It's not fine, not if it's about your life and death! And the same goes for Tetsu, too!" Kaoru almost shouted, worriedly.

"From what I'd seen, Kaoru-san, Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki is a battoujutsu of ultimate swiftness….a technique that lets a human strike with the speed of a god. Kenshin has learned it….but it almost cost his master his life. It truly is a deadly move." Tetsunosuke stated, just barely suppressing a shudder when he remembered the moments shortly after Hiko had fallen, and then when he'd coughed up the blood….glad that Kenshin had not seen the latter moment, and how seriously the strike had injured him.

"If one's self is lost, as it was in the battles between Cho and Saito, then it is a certainty that someone will die…..And yet, to hold back for fear of losing that speed….renders the learning of the ougi all but useless. Sessha must stand on the paper-thin wall between life and death, in the heat of battle….unleashing that god-like speed in just the way that will defeat, but not kill." Kenshin murmured, then added, "All told…..it's all up to the heart, now."

"_And I will also have to stand on a paper-thin wall_….._in order to get Tatsu back._" Tetsunosuke mused, grimly, as he gazed out at the quiet city and wondered what the next morning had in store for it.

"Kenshin, Tetsu." Kaoru called, reaching into her sleeve as she spoke, and pulling something out as she did so.

"Megumi asked me to give this to you two. It's her wish for your safety….and it's not just Megumi, Saya-chan, and I. We all wish for your safe return from battle tomorrow." Kaoru said, as she handed what appeared to be a medicine container to Kenshin for safekeeping; no sooner doing that than getting smacked on the head by a ticked-off Yahiko and Yutaro. Tetsunosuke sighed and rolled his eyes, when the trio started arguing between themselves again.

"Do they do that often?" Saya questioned; giggling when she saw chagrin appear on his face.

"You have no idea….." Tetsunosuke muttered, then added, "Are you absolutely certain you want to come back to Tokyo with us, when all of this is over with?"

"Hai! Of course!" Saya replied, with a smile.

"Then we'll both have to focus on surviving tomorrow." Tetsunosuke said, feeling a little reassured by the usual banter he was hearing from Kaoru, Yahiko, Yutaro, and Sanosuke, and sensing when the two surviving Shinsengumi captains came out to watch the 'battle' with amusement.

"We're coming too, and don't say we aren't! Neither of us have missed a single day of training since we got here!" Yutaro shouted, as he stood there and glared at the two rurouni, "If you don't think we're strong, then you're the ones who are wrong!"

"Those two are soundin' more and more like our Puppy by the day, wouldn't you say, Shin?" Harada laughed; fully aware when both boys glared daggers into them for that comment.

"Yep. I'd have to agree with ya there, Sano." Shinpachi chuckled, as Yamazaki nodded in agreement; earning a slight sigh and a shake of the head from Tetsunosuke as a result.

"It's obvious you're both strong, Yahiko, Yutaro. Otherwise, why else would you be asked to stay?" Kenshin asked, and got twin confused looks from both boys for that.

"It's as Kenshin says. Tomorrow, when we're fighting the Juppongatana, Shishio's men may see it as an opportunity to attack the Aoi-ya. We've got a countermeasure, but a battle is inevitable if that is what it comes down to…..That's why we need to keep some of our best here." Tetsunosuke stated, as he looked at the boys, and then at his old comrades on the ground below him. Even though Harada was still wounded, he knew the former unit captain was more than willing to fight to protect the people of Kyoto as he had ten years prior….and the same could be said of Yamazaki and Shinpachi as well.

"You've got it!" Misao's voice suddenly shouted, from behind them. Startled, they all turned to look, and saw that the Oniwabanshu was standing on the rooftops near them.

"Don't you even sweat it! Aoi-ya is safe with us! Right, Saya-chan?" Misao asked, enthusiastically.

"Right!" Saya agreed, determinedly.

"As Misao says, don't worry about us here, Himura-kun, Ichimura-kun. Just go and scatter Shishio's men!" Okina encouraged, with a smile.

"So everyone's awake. We should've gone with the party after all." Sanosuke muttered, with a snort of amusement.

"And gone into battle with hangovers? I think not." Tetsunosuke retorted, with a soft laugh, before he turned and gazed gently at Saya again, "Stay safe."

"You come back alive." Saya replied, firmly, despite the hint of fear for him in her eyes and voice.

"Tou-san always told me not to make promises I can't keep…..but I intend to keep my promise to you, Saya, when I say that I will come back. You have my word." Tetsunosuke reassured.

"_The trusted friends in a faraway city_….._and the ones gathered here_….._give strength to our hearts. We have nothing to fear, now. Right, Tetsu?_" Kenshin thought, as he glanced at the younger rurouni, and they shared the feeling of renewed hope.

"_It doesn't matter if we're former Shinsengumi and Ishin Shishi_….._Right here, before us, we both have allies we can depend on, while we fight._" Tetsunosuke silently added.

"_And that makes all the difference._"

…………………..

As morning's light finally touched the horizon, Saito Hajime arrived to summon the trio off to battle. Yet, even he noticed the peace that seemed to emanate from the two rurouni as they emerged from within the inn along with the ex-fight merchant.

"We're off. Are you all prepared?" Saito asked.

"As prepared as we're going to get, Saito-san." Tetsunosuke replied, quietly; not even turning to look when Kaoru, the two boys, the Oniwabanshu, and the other remaining Shinsengumi stood behind them to watch them go. As they started to walk off, Kaoru's voice once again made them pause.

"Kenshin, I want us all to go back to Tokyo together." Kaoru said, with a smile; feeling heartened when Kenshin smiled at her, in turn, and nodded.

"Remember your promise, Tetsu." Saya added, gently.

"I won't forget…..and I look forward to hearing your shamisen again when I get back." Tetsunosuke said, before they walked into the sunrise….and into uncertainty.

…………………….

"Shishio-sama, we have a report from our informants." Houji stated, as he stood before his master within the mountain stronghold. With a slight nod, Shishio urged him to continue.

"Himura, Ichimura, Saito, and Sagara have left the Aoi-ya." Houji continued, this bit of news getting a slight smile from Shishio in response.

"I see…..Excellent. Gather the Juppongatana, Houji." Shishio commanded, yet seemed surprised when Houji spoke up again, instead of following the order immediately.

"If I may, I would like to first suggest a plan." Houji suggested.

"There is no plan for a duel, unless we were to plan the order of combat, or…..Houji, what are you thinking?" Shishio asked, his tone dropping to a dangerous growl, when he sensed what the other man possibly had up his sleeve.

"There is only one thing I think about. Shishio-sama's absolute victory." Houji replied, matter-of-factly, in a tone that told all who were present that he meant every word….

Author's Note!

Again, not a very long chapter, but I'm pretty much building up for the battles ahead. So stay tuned, minna, since the fighting is just ahead!

Gemini14


	25. The Myo ou's Wrath

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Myo-ou's Wrath

"Absolute Victory, you say?"

Even as Tsuno stood in the room with Shishio, Yumi, Soujiro and Houji, and even though his heart had frozen long ago, the tone Shishio had just used sent a chill down his spine. The edge of ice in the former shadow hitokiri's voice was keener than any blade.

"Indeed. Absolute." Houji confirmed, then continued, "In this battle we send ten, including Shishio-sama, against four. In numbers and strength, clearly, we have the upper hand."

"If it is that obvious, then why are you so unhappy about it?" Yumi asked, peevishly.

"Mainly because our enemies are the elite of the elite. If we clash with them, head-on, we'll lose our lesser warriors, from Cho on down…..But, if we also just bring in our elite corps, the four strongest of the Juppongatana, it leaves Anji with the six remaining warriors to take down the Aoi-ya and whoever remains there." Houji explained.

"It's a great idea!" Soujiro said, with his usual grin, and as Tsuno reluctantly agreed. Yet Shishio remained silent, and bade Houji to continue with a simple nod.

"Question: Why did our grand plan for burning Kyoto fail? Answer: Because the Kyoto Oniwabanshu schemed in the background. Ever since Himura Battousai and Ichimura the Peacemaker arrived in Kyoto, they have been supporting them from behind the scenes with their spy network. Things would have gone much smoother if they had never existed! Behind our failures, there is the fact that we had foolishly let them live! Battousai and the Peacemaker are not fools. No doubt they anticipate an assault on the Aoi-ya in their absence, but they are still swordsmen. If they are challenged to a duel, then they will never expect the Juppongatana themselves to go to the Aoi-ya. Just as you, who thinks so much like our foes could only conceive this as a ten to four duel." Houji said, not realizing that the more he said, the colder the room seemed to be getting.

"_This little twit is going to get his hypothetical ass handed to him, in a few short moments_….." Tsuno thought, as he listened even further to what else Houji had to say.

"We must not forget that our ultimate goal is to conquer this nation. That is Shishio-sama's 'Ultimate Victory'. And that requires ridding ourselves of Himura Battousai and the rest of them, simultaneously!" Houji said, finishing his unexpected lecture with that.

"_Here it comes_……" Tsuno inwardly growled, as a slight smirk graced his masked features, when the atmosphere in the room changed yet again.

"Houji. When did you earn the right to lecture me?" Shishio snarled, as he slowly stood and adjusted his coat, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he did so, "I don't care if your strategy is brilliant…..I had told the Battousai that this was a duel. The code of the swordsman will not allow me to bend that. The duels will not change! Now quit wasting my time and gather the Juppongatana!" And yet, even Tsuno felt some surprise over what happened next. Not only did Houji not back down, but he also began to boldly speak again.

"Since I first gave my allegiance to you, Shishio-sama, I have kept a secret promise to myself. History shows that the nation will belong to those who are willing to fight, and more importantly, win…..So I promised to do whatever it took to ensure Shishio-sama's ultimate victory…..to play whatever role I must…..Yes, even if it branded me as a coward and an upstart! Even if Shishio-sama himself came to see me as an abomination!! Without _**Rengoku**_, the Juppongatana are our strongest remaining card. I cannot serve a losing plan that will not play that card properly!" Houji argued, strongly. For a few moments, the two men stood frozen in front of one another; hackles raised and glaring balefully at each other.

"_I haven't seen resistance like this since my time in the Shinsengumi. I wonder what will happen next?_" Tsuno wondered, absently, as he watched both men from his position on the other side of the room.

"This is the first time I've met resistance, not only from my enemies, but also from my own dog…..Soujiro, Tsuno." Shishio growled, as he then glanced at the two from the corner of his eye.

"Yes?" Soujiro asked, in response.

"Go and gather the Juppongatana. Tell them we are going to meet in my chambers within the hour." Shishio said, and then glared at Houji again before sitting back down to wait for the rest of the warriors to appear. Without any further words, Tsuno and Soujiro nodded and quickly left the room on their shared errand.

"Tsuno-san, you were hoping that you would get sent to the Aoi-ya, weren't you?" Soujiro asked, as they walked down the hallway towards the place where most of the Juppongatana were waiting.

"You could say that, Tenken….." Tsuno replied, "_Especially if the 'Peacemaker' that we're about to face is in fact my little brother, Tetsu._"

"I guess we'll find out what the plan is going to be, in a little while, ne?" Soujiro added, rhetorically.

"I suppose so….." Tsuno agreed, as they continued walking; the silence settling over them not helping to ease the tension in the slightest.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It took them about two or three hours to finally reach the entrance to Shishio's lair, and all Tetsunosuke could feel was apprehension.

"_Tatsu-nii_….._I hope you're still human enough to save_……" Tetsunosuke mused, then glanced at Sanosuke when he finally spoke up.

"Six gateways…..This must be it." Sanosuke muttered, as he gazed at the foreboding mountain behind the gateways themselves.

"Seems that way." Tetsunosuke agreed, softly, as he gripped his swords tightly in an effort to stave off the urge he had to just run away and avoid the battles that they were about to participate in. He jumped slightly when Kenshin gripped his shoulder and nodded firmly.

"There's always a chance, Tetsu. Don't give up before you've even begun." Kenshin murmured, as they strode forward.

"Right." Tetsunosuke agreed, even though the doubt still lingered in his red-brown eyes, and both he and Kenshin could sense a hint of it in Saito's ki, as well.

"_For once, I also hope the Battousai is right._" Saito mused, quickly becoming aware that there seemed to be someone waiting for them up ahead.

"Someone is there." Kenshin said, as they got closer to the one who stood waiting patiently at the door for them.

"Welcome. I have been waiting. From here on, the mountain becomes a maze. I will be your guide through it. I am Komogata Yumi." The woman said, with a slight smile.

"You're the lady that was with Shishio that night, weren't you?" Tetsunosuke asked.

"Indeed. You've got a good memory, Ichimura-san." Yumi replied; surprised and yet pleased that the former Shinsengumi remembered her, "Please, come in." Without further words, the four men then stepped across the threshold and into Shishio's fortress itself. Even though the seriousness of the situation was foremost in the men's minds, it didn't stop Tetsunosuke from allowing himself a moment to show how impressed he was by the immensity of the place.

"This isn't a maze….it's a labyrinth!" Tetsunosuke muttered, his eyes widening in almost childlike wonder at the storybook sight he was now seeing; stalactites hung menacingly overhead, while stalagmites promised a painful landing, if one wrong move was made, "_Tou-san had told __stories__ of places like this! Wonder if there's a buried treasure somewhere in here?_"

"True enough. One wrong turn may trigger a storm of traps." Kenshin agreed, smiling inwardly at the boyish delight he could sense coming from Tetsu, before the weight of their mission returned, and his eyes sobered again.

"Even for an assassin's fortress, this is awfully elaborate." Saito added, as he glanced down into the mess of stalagmites under the bridge they now walked on, and spotted the stark white remains of the few who had been foolish enough to enter the stronghold before them.

"Indeed it is…..oh, and I forgot to mention one thing. A message from Shishio-sama." Yumi said, when they had reached the first door after the bridge, and she glanced back at them, "From here on, the duels are to be one-on-one. We'll put one man in each room, and you'll choose an opponent each time."

"I like it. Man to man, my kinda fight!" Sanosuke said, with a grin; finally breaking his unusual silence when he said that.

"I've no objections, though I hate wasting my time. Is there any way you can gather all of my opponents at once?" Saito asked, smirking even through Tetsunosuke could sense that he was secretly concerned about what could happen in Kyoto, while they were fighting here. This got a shake of the head from Yumi, in response.

"Gomen, but no. It will be one at a time." Yumi replied, then looked at Tetsunosuke, "What say you?"

"Fine by me, Komogata-san." Tetsunosuke agreed, quietly.

"And you, Himura-san?" Yumi asked, as she then looked at the elder rurouni.

"Fine. But sessha won't just sit and watch, if someone tries to finish off their opponent. So a duel, yes. Killings, no." Kenshin said, firmly. This got a soft laugh and a smile from Yumi, as an answer to that.

"Really? Such a soft man…..Then here's your first foe, if you please." Yumi stated, as she pushed open the door. The sight that came to their eyes when they entered sent a chill through them, yet they still moved forward, despite it. In front of them, sat a menacing statue.

"Fudou Myo-ou……an Acala Buddha….." Kenshin muttered, and as Tetsunosuke gave it an unnerved look, as well.

"Impressive. Is there a priest among the Juppongatana?" Saito asked, sounding almost curious, despite himself.

"Yeah. One who has strayed from the path…..a fallen priest." Sanosuke murmured, as he then stepped away from them, and started walking towards the man who was just emerging in front of them, "I'll be the first up, since there are things I want to ask him."

"Don't get yourself killed, ahou." Saito grumbled.

"Up yours." Sanosuke growled back.

"_Same response as Harada-san_….._I think we'd better hope they aren't related!_" Tetsunosuke thought, then listened as the former fight merchant greeted the mass of muscles that was the fallen priest.

"Komogata-dono, who is this?" Kenshin asked, warily.

"Myo-ou, or 'Bright King' Anji. He's a very strong fighter." Yumi replied, airily.

"_Anji, the third-strongest of the Juppongatana, and the one who had saved the Itachi Musume_….." Tetsunosuke mused, then exchanged glances with Kenshin; knowing beyond a shadow of doubt that their thoughts were following the same lines.

"_Whatever he is, be careful Sano. There's something about him that doesn't seem right._" Kenshin silently added, uneasily.

"It's been a month. I didn't think it'd be like this, when we met again." Sanosuke said, as he stood in front of Anji and gazed grimly at him.

"Nor did I. the words you spoke before, in Shimosuwa, of your hatred for the Meiji Government were all false. You disappoint me." Anji growled, as he glared at Sanosuke balefully.

"Well, you disappoint me, you fraud of a priest!!" Sanosuke roared back, furiously, "How can a priest aid Shishio in this bloodshed?! What happened to your 'Mission of Salvation'?!"

"Nothing has happened. The first step in the mission is destruction." Anji replied, coldly.

"What?!" Sanosuke shouted, aghast and angered by what he was hearing.

"Fool. Do you believe that saving the world means rescuing people who are suffering?" Anji asked, "Not that I blame you. When I was blinded by Buddhism, I had thought the same…..But not now. Now I see the truth. This world contains too many beasts and scavengers, those who are not worth saving. And those beasts with human faces rob the pure-souled of their rightful futures."

"_I see where this is going_….._and I don't like it_….." Tetsunosuke thought, as a sickening feeling settled in his gut, over the words he was hearing.

"From the chaos of the Bakumatsu, comes the Meiji. But, during the change, souls have become rotten. There are far too many beings now who are unworthy of life. To save those who need to be saved, the unworthy must be cleared away. For this duty, I have joined the Juppongatana. I have become the incarnation of Fudou Myo-ou!"

"_Was Tatsu thinking like this, when __he__ joined this group of murderers? Has he become as warped as this man is?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he braced himself on Kenshin's shoulder for a moment, before they began moving out of the way of the battle that was about to begin.

"I will wash this world clean in blood and fire! I will punish the corrupt and leave a world of pure souls! This is my true mission!! Do you understand now, Sagara Sanosuke?" Anji again asked.

"Not one word! Guess I didn't study enough Buddhism……But I do know one thing. I can't say I like your damn mission very much!" Sanosuke snarled, as he then rushed forward and fired off his attack into Anji's abdomen; narrowly missing him and hitting the column and wall beside them, instead.

"We saw it that time with the _**Rengoku**_……" Kenshin muttered, when he'd seen the power of the strike again, and felt the same disbelief as before.

"This is the third time. It can't be by chance." Saito agreed; remembering what he had seen that night, and the time when Sanosuke had blown apart the bars to his cell in the police station just days before.

"On the way from Shimosuwa to Kyoto, I trained on one hundred stones. I've mastered the art of the 'Two Layers'. Please surrender, Anji. I'd rather not kill you with what I'd learned from you." Sanosuke said, yet was stunned by what was said and done next.

"Kill me? You boast, lad." Anji growled, then proceeded disintegrate that part of the wall and shatter the floorboards under him, "All I taught you were the basics. This is mastery."

"_Sano, I know you don't need to really be told this, but you are definitely screwed._" Tetsunosuke inwardly muttered, as true fear for his friend began to take root, yet remained where he was, since he was bound by the only rules stated in this deadly game Shishio now played.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**I LIVE!! Lol. Writer's Block has had this fic in a death grip for quite a while now! Hopefully from now on, I'll be able to update on a regular basis, since the most difficult parts leading up to this have been covered! Wish me luck!**_

_**Gemini14 **_


	26. True Strength, True Mastery

Chapter Twenty-Six: True Strength, True Mastery

A sepulchral silence had settled over all of them, the first few moments after Anji's demonstration; adding to and intensifying the tension Kenshin and Tetsunosuke were feeling.

"Now do you understand what it means to be a master?" Anji snarled, as he gave the fight merchant a chilling glare that would have frozen a lesser man to his core.

"_The Futae no Kiwami with both arms and legs_…._and his left elbow instead of his fist?_" Sanosuke wondered; almost too late to react, when the next attack began.

"Sano! Move!" Tetsunosuke shouted, his words getting Sanosuke to leap aside; barely managing to avoid the punch that had been aimed at his chest.

"_Shit that was close!_" Sanosuke thought, as he slid across the floor; quickly standing up again so he would be hit by any blows from Anji's feet.

"Want to switch?" Saito asked, casually.

"SHUT UP!!" Sanosuke snapped, determined to finish what he'd started, no matter what.

"I don't blame you for being blind to my mission…..Just keep in mind, that it is the blind who must die." Anji said, menacingly, as he approached Sanosuke.

"_No doubt about it; he can use both arms and legs_…._and probably even his __head__ in the use of that attack! Sano's outgunned!_" Tetsunosuke silently said, as he gripped the railing in front of him tightly, and growled softly under his breath.

"_All I've got is my right fist, and the one move_….._but I __can't__ run away now!_" Sanosuke unconsciously added, as he steadied himself for the next blow.

"I thought you were an intelligent man." Anji muttered, his comment raising the hackles on Sanosuke's back slightly, and his frustration was only added to when Saito put in his two cents, as well.

"You overestimated him." Saito grumbled, from between puffs on his cigarette.

"I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!!" Sanosuke snarled, from over his shoulder; giving the cop dagger glares while he was at it.

"As the Westerners would say, Saito-san, you 'dug the fork in and twisted it' that time." Tetsunosuke sighed, as he shook his head in exasperation, yet felt some relief over the other Wolf of Mibu's attempt to ease the tension slightly.

"Sano! Don't be intimidated! Even in kenjutsu, two swords don't always beat one!" Kenshin shouted, getting an unreadable look from Tetsunosuke for that.

"Just don't let the rest of the Juppongatana know that." Tetsunosuke muttered, under his breath, for good measure.

"You don't have to be intelligent to win!" Kenshin added; flinching slightly when both Sanosuke and Tetsunosuke face-faulted, and even Saito managed an almost deadpan look at the elder rurouni at this.

"That's stating the obvious, Battousai." Saito said, dryly; smirking behind the hand holding the cigarette when both fight merchant and the younger rurouni gave Kenshin almost dirty looks.

"With 'friends' like these……" Sanosuke growled, as he picked himself up from the floor, "But I do see a way!"

"A way to win? You poor fool." Anji muttered, when he'd heard that, "For there is no such thing."

"Maybe not…..but, then again, maybe so!!" Sanosuke shouted, before plunging headfirst into the fight again.

"Himura-san." Yumi said, as they watched the battle resume.

"Hmm?" Kenshin replied.

"This duel is one-on-one. No aiding hands to the one fighting." Yumi stated, irritably.

"Aa. That's why it was the mouth only." Kenshin answered, with a smile.

"Still the slick talker, aren't you?" Saito mumbled; arching an eyebrow as he did so.

"He wouldn't be Himura Kenshin if he wasn't, Saito-san." Tetsunosuke said, as he allowed a slight smirk to appear on his face while saying that. All the while, Kenshin merely looked pleased with himself.

"_Insufferable man._" Yumi thought, in annoyance, silently thanking whatever deity existed that Shishio wasn't like Kenshin.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Sanosuke could only focus on dodging, as he waited for the right moment to strike. He could feel the near-misses keenly, and knew that if he was going to make a move, it would have to be soon.

"_Just as I thought! He'd mastered the Futae no Kiwami and turned his body into a mass of muscles, yet sacrificed speed! They're weighing him down, not letting him follow his fist! The Two Layers can take anyone down with one hit, and it doesn't matter if it's just my right hand! The first one to land a blow, wins!_" Sanosuke thought, desperately, as he took the first opportunity that presented itself, and landed his blow to Anji's left side. But nothing happened.

"What the….?!" Sanosuke started to say, in shock.

"_He struck from the opposite side of the attack and disrupted it!_" Tetsunosuke mentally yelped, from where he stood; his eyes widening when he could almost see what was coming next.

"I will say it…just once more…..This is what you call mastery." Anji intoned, before he backhanded Sanosuke with a full-force blow.

"SANO!!" both Tetsunosuke and Kenshin yelped, when they had seen this happen, and feeling tentative relief, when the fight merchant blocked it.

"So close…..Wasn't sure there was a way to block that….." Sanosuke gasped, as he skidded to a halt about six feet away from Anji, and as the bandages around his waist shredded from the force of it. And yet, a heartbeat later, Sanosuke vomited blood; proving that even a near miss could be deadly.

"You all right down there, Sano?" Tetsunosuke asked, concernedly; reminded too much of what had happened shortly after Hiko's awakening after the passing of the ougi just a few days prior.

"Yeah….." Sanosuke wheezed, painfully, then thought, "_So much force_…._from just a skim_….._The same technique __I__ had learned_….._but completely different from mine_….."

"Turn back. This time, I will let you go." Anji said, as a tiny hint of what could have been concern flitted across his stone-set features, "Take your friend's offer and switch with him. Otherwise, the alternative is death."

"_Even being as badly hurt as this, it won't change his mind to carry through. Had this been ten years ago, he would have made one hell of a fighter on either side. Things would have been quite different._" Tetsunosuke mused, then listened as Yumi shouted at Anji.

"Hey, priest! Shishio-sama had said to kill him! Not spare him!" Yumi snapped, angrily, when she saw that her beloved's orders were not being followed.

"The decision is mine! I hold the right of Seisatsu Yodatsu!" Anji retorted, ignoring whatever else Yumi had to say, when Sanosuke spoke up again.

"'Seisatsu Yodatsu'…..You mean…..the power to choose who lives and who dies? Is that it?" Sanosuke asked, from between pained gasps, as he held his badly bruised abdomen, and spitting more blood from his mouth in disgust at the fallen priest's arrogance.

"So much talk about being a 'Myo-ou' has you thinking that you're actually a god. Conceited bastard." Sanosuke coughed, then added, "Was it Shishio who gave you this power? If so, then he must be the greatest god of all!"

"He gave me nothing. I'm aiding him because we both seek the death of the Meiji Government. But, if the new world he creates doesn't suit my mission, then I will become his enemy, and destroy that as well." Anji growled; his words getting a look of shock from Yumi as a response.

"And you'll just keep destroying forever? Is that it?" Sanosuke asked, as he slowly straightened himself again; preparing himself for the next go-round, "I hate the Meiji Government as well, and I don't think I'll ever get over it. Sometimes I feel like tearing it all down…..But there are people who are trying to live decently in this world, and others who believe in those who fight for their future! It's your business if you want to give up on the world, Anji, but I won't let you play god! I won't lose this fight. I can't lose this fight!!"

"_And now we see his true strength, beyond the hate of the Meiji, and what it stands for_….._I can only hope that I'll even measure up, when my turn to fight comes up_…." Tetsunosuke mused, feeling almost proud, and at the same time, envious, of Sanosuke's stubborn refusal to back down.

"Can't we stop this? It won't be just a killing match now, it'll be a bludgeoning." Saito muttered, concernedly.

"'I can't lose'…..That's what he'd said, when we had fought. But this time, that 'can't' carries more weight." Kenshin said, with a smile; also feeling pride in how much the younger man had grown, since that time. And they watched, as Sanosuke determinedly started showering the fallen priest with fierce blows; kicking and punching with all his strength into the muscle-clad man's head and chest. Yet he didn't use his right hand at all, during all this.

"Since skill doesn't work, I guess he's going for quantity. But against that wall of muscles, I don't see much hope. It's all in the Mastery of the Two Layers." Saito growled.

"Yeah. And Anji's focusing on just his right hand…..Sano knows it, and that's why he isn't using it." Tetsunosuke agreed, allowing his own eyes to narrow, when Yumi started yelling angrily at Anji from where she stood.

"I knew it! You don't have the guts to finish off this pretender! You're still as soft as any priest! Forget that he'd learned anything from you and end it! Quit wasting our time!" Yumi yowled, furiously; becoming even more incensed, when the fallen priest completely ignored her.

"Have you had enough? Your efforts have been futile, so far. You learned the basics of Futae no Kiwami in just one week, where it took me a full month. It's a shame to have to kill a man like you, yet I must." Anji murmured, before clenching his own right fist, and preparing his killing blow, "You will feel the righteousness of my mission with your body, and die!"

"Do it, then!" Sanosuke shouted in response, as he prepared for the blow, and readied his own fist as well.

"It's about to end. If you want to stop them, then say something now." Saito warned.

"You worry a lot about Sano, don't you, Saito-san?" Tetsunosuke asked, boldly; grinning slightly when he saw Saito's eyebrow twitch, a sure sign that yes, he was more worried than he looked.

"Don't be stupid. I'm just concerned about what his death will do to your's and Battousai's morale." Saito grumbled, irritably; his tone promising at least bodily harm, if Tetsunosuke pushed the subject any further.

"Then don't. Sano's not going to die here." Kenshin stated, firmly, as he watched both men rush at one another.

"At last! Nothing stops Anji when he swings that fist!" Yumi said, as she watched them close the distance between one another.

"Watch my mission from the chasms of the afterlife!" Anji roared, as his fist struck Sanosuke's chest full-force. For a few, uncertain moments, silence again fell.

"It's done." Yumi murmured, with a somewhat relieved smile.

"_No. Far from it._" Okita's voice said, in the back of Tetsunosuke's mind, as the ghostly commander himself appeared alongside them; his gaze serious and calm.

"Namu amida butsu." Anji muttered, in absolution, before Sanosuke's rather strained voice disturbed everyone from their thoughts.

"Sorry, it's too early to pray for my soul." Sanosuke snarled, proving to them that he'd somehow managed to neutralize the blow at the last possible moment! Then with a fierce yell, he struck Anji's vulnerable abdomen, sending the fallen priest sprawling with blood gushing from his mouth.

"And now it is done." Tetsunosuke said, grinning as they all joined Sanosuke where he now stood.

"Well, you won all right, but it was a stab-in-the-dark miracle." Saito muttered, reluctantly impressed by the younger man's resilience and stubborn refusal to surrender.

"…..Half true." Sanosuke replied, after a few moments, "Trying to counter Anji's right with my own Futae no Kiwami was a gamble. But at the end, I didn't just luck into it. I had conviction in this fist. It's why I'd risked my life to learn this to start with……So stab in the dark, yes. Miracle, no."

"_On another note, Okita-san, where have you been up until now? And where's Hijikata-san and Yamanami-san?_" Tetsunosuke asked, as he briefly turned his attention to the ghost who was still standing beside him. For this, he got an abashed smile.

"_I was ordered to follow you and Saito-san_….._but got a little sidetracked. It didn't help matters much that I got lost on the way in. At least the spirits of the priests who had been here until recently were kind enough to point me in the right direction!_" Okita replied, sheepishly, as Saito and Tetsunosuke inwardly sighed in exasperation

"_Okita Souji_……" Saito silently growled, and his eyebrow twitched again in annoyance. Yet they were quick to return their attention to the downed Anji, when he picked himself up off of the floor, gagged up some more blood, and then removed something from within his gi.

"Is that…..a memorial tablet?" Sanosuke was heard to ask, from amidst the shock he was now feeling, since he'd been so certain that Anji had been down for the count. For the briefest of moments, they all froze when a hint of madness appeared in Anji's eyes; yet Kenshin was the first to regain his voice, and speak.

"It's over Anji. The match is over." Kenshin said, quietly.

"Yeah. To be perfectly honest, based on pure strength, you're beyond Sano by a few levels…..Yet, in Sano's fists, there's not only power…..but also the desire to keep fighting for those he desires to protect. That desire brought him power….beyond your mission to 'save the world'." Tetsunosuke added.

"Anji, you saved Misao-dono's life. Sessha can't believe you live only for destruction. Why did you become the Fudo Myo-ou, 'Acala Buddha'? And who does this tablet belong to that you hold it to your chest, even during battle?" Kenshin asked, as they all watched Anji continue to hold the tablet tightly in his hand.

"This…..represents the pure souls of those who hadn't been saved. It all started ten years ago…..on the night they destroyed the temple." Anji softly said, then began to relate his tale to them.

"_I remember hearing about this_….._Haibutsu Kishaku_….._and how many took it to mean that Buddhism had to be eradicated_….._So many innocent lives had been lost in __those__ flames, that it makes the Great Kyoto Fire plan of the Ishin Shishi seem the lesser of the two evils, by comparison._" Okita said, his eyes narrowing as he watched the ghosts of the children appear and try to get their beloved mentor's attention.

"_I agree with you there, Okita-san, wholeheartedly._" Tetsunosuke silently said, as he listened further to what Anji was saying.

"The ultimatum had been to leave the village with or without the children. Either way, they were going to raze the temple…..their home, since their parents had been killed during the war. We were never even given the chance to leave……" Anji growled, painfully, as the horrible memories returned to the forefront of his mind.

"_I don't like where this is going_….." Tetsunosuke mused, as he watched the ghostly children become even more desperate, and as Anji started getting even more upset and angry.

"I was away from the temple for a few hours, meditating, and they started to burn it down with the children inside! Before I could do anything to help them, someone struck me from behind, knocking me out. When I regained consciousness, the temple had been reduced to rubble and ashes…..There were hands, reaching up through the fallen and burnt beams…..Why?! Why had the Buddha abandoned those children?! Do you…..understand now? Prayers and wishes don't save anything." Anji snarled, his eyes lighting up again in rage.

"_Kami-sama_……_Then what had happened to me and Tatsu at the beginning of the Bakumatsu hadn't been the worst that could have happened to us!_" Tetsunosuke's mind shouted, recoiling in horror over the images that were coming to his mind of the description of the small hands sticking up through the wreckage; silently begging the priest to save them, even though it had been too late.

"All that matters is the mission…..to save a world not worth saving! 'Myo-ou the Angry' cannot lose…..not until those children ride the wheel of reincarnation and live again!!" Anji howled, as he forced himself to stand and glared furiously at enemies only he seemed to see.

"Anji!" Kenshin shouted, yet was prevented from going forward by Sanosuke.

"Stay back…..he can no longer be reasoned with. The only way he can be stopped is by fists…..So come, Anji! I'll answer you!" Sanosuke shouted, as he swiftly removed his jacket and tossed it aside, just as Anji tore off what remained of his gi by merely flexing his muscles.

"_Ewww. Nasty!_" Okita cried, his comment getting an annoyed twitch from Saito for that.

"_Yet another thing we can agree on, Okita-san._" Tetsunosuke muttered, dryly, as they moved back and gave the fighters enough space. With no more words between them, the fallen priest and fight merchant began, for the lack of a better term, brawling. Even though Sanosuke's blow landed first, Anji didn't feel it, and subsequently hit Sanosuke over the head with both fists. Yet the fight merchant didn't go down either, and struck back with a sucker punch to Anji's face. This was followed by a series of such blows that left the quartet (minus the ghosts standing nearby) almost completely speechless.

"W-what's happening? They're hitting each other with the Mastery of the Two Layers, yet neither is falling." Yumi muttered, as she watched the battle with almost disbelief in her eyes.

"Either could fall at any time, but they're both also fighting with their will not to lose…..Their spirits have surpassed their bodies." Kenshin said, as Okita's ghost nodded in agreement.

"When the Futae no Kiwami is no longer the deciding factor, then the match is basically equal…..Not to say that they aren't gonna be feeling this later, though." Tetsunosuke added, flinching when some of the punches that landed on Sanosuke cracked a few of his ribs, and noticing when Kenshin and even Saito reacted to that sound, as well.

"Do you really think so?" Saito questioned, letting both rurouni know that he'd noticed something they had missed.

"Why do you ask, Saito-san?" Tetsunosuke asked, in turn, not taking his eyes off of the battle for even a moment.

"Doesn't it bother you, that although he's one of the Juppongatana, he isn't a swordsman? So why, then, does he carry a sword?" Saito said, his words sending a jolt through both redheads, and their eyes widened in alarm when Anji unsheathed the blade at his waist, and drove it into the floorboards nearest Sanosuke.

"_Long range! Dammit, we should've seen that coming!_" Tetsunosuke silently snarled, as he watched Sanosuke hit the floor again; sliding a short distance before stopping, and then forcing himself to his feet again.

"I see…..that sword is for conducting the attack into the ground, turning it into an indirect attack……" Saito said, disturbed by how ingenious this version of the attack truly was.

"This is it! That Tori-atama can't attack from outside his zone!" Yumi muttered, eager to have this fight over and done with, so they could move on to the next room. Yet all thought ceased, when Kenshin and Tetsunosuke saw Anji raise his sword again.

"JUMP SANO!!" both rurouni shouted, their warning urging the wounded fighter into leaping just as the sword came down, and the shockwaves tore through the ground he'd been standing on. Yet, as he began to come down, Sanosuke could see that Anji was preparing to hit him again with another powerful punch.

"He saw it coming!" Tetsunosuke yelped, yet could only stare when the two men's fists met in mid-air.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"_Enough_……_Anji. You've suffered more than anyone should. This is as good a time as any to end this, and start over_….._and give those wounds a chance to heal._" Sanosuke thought, hoping his sentiments were getting through to the man he'd considered his teacher and mentor for a week.

"_Wounds do not matter. I already feel no pain. I will continue to fight as the 'Bright King' until my mission is accomplished. The children who had perished in those flames need this from me!!_" Anji replied, angrily, his words getting a fierce answer from Sanosuke in response.

"_YOU COLOSSAL FOOL!!_" Sanosuke roared, as he unleashed even more power from his right hand, and sent Anji flying, "_You understand NOTHING!!_"

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

As Anji hit the floor again, the two rurouni, the ghosts, the cop, and the woman leading them all exchanged bewildered glances with one another. Just what in the world had they just seen?

"That was……." Kenshin muttered, almost too stunned by this to speak.

"He just created something entirely new……The Mastery of the Three Layers!" Tetsunosuke said, finishing Kenshin's thought for him. All the elder rurouni could do was nod in agreement.

"_Glad I'm not alive to face it, and I'm glad I will never feel that hit __me__!_" Okita mumbled.

"_You'd be right to consider yourself lucky as far as __that__ is concerned._" Saito stated, reluctantly agreeing as well with what the two rurouni had said.

"Listen, Anji……those dead children don't want your mission. They only want the priest who had taken care of them to be happy! Look, drenched in your own blood, they are crying out in pain!" Sanosuke said, as he pointed out the blood-soaked funeral tablet, unaware that the ghosts of the children were nodding tearfully in agreement. They watched as Anji slowly looked down at the tablet and seemed shocked when he saw that Sanosuke was right.

"You loved them so much…..that your soul was warped when they were taken from you. Please listen…..to their spirits." Sanosuke begged, as he turned his head slightly, and smiled at the children's ghosts hovering nearby; surprising both Tetsunosuke and Saito in the fact that he now knew they were there.

"_How long had he known? Was he able to feel their presences from the start?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, numbly, as he watched the ghosts finally smile warmly at Anji, and as Anji finally fell to his knees in defeat. Against all the odds, Sanosuke had won. The first victory was theirs.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Two new chapters in one day! A record for me! Hope this chapter was all right, and I'll try to have the next one up soon! Wish me luck, minna!**_

_**Gemini14 **_


	27. And Further into Danger

Chapter Twenty-Seven: And Further into Danger…..

Tetsunosuke could only sigh, as he listened to Kenshin tend to Sanosuke's hand. The battle against the first of the Juppongatana, Anji, was finally over, but…..

"Are you all right, Sano?" Kenshin asked, as he wrapped some bandages securely around the younger man's left wrist. The fight had left Sanosuke bloodied and bruised…..and that wasn't all.

"It's your own fault. You should've listened to advice and abandoned your defense." Saito growled, his expression souring as he continued, "Now there are seven remaining assassins…..and only three of us."

"Three?!" Sanosuke snarled, as he looked up and gave the cop a scathing glare.

"You're not thinking you actually count, are you? The way you kept hammering away, you must have shattered the bones in your hand." Saito retorted, as he gave the fight merchant a sidewards glance that told him just what he felt about that.

"_Unfortunately, Sano, Saito-san has a point._" Tetsunosuke thought, yet knew that the younger man wouldn't stand for being left behind, at this stage.

"The injured will only hold us back. You should go." Saito added; his almost unspoken concern proving that even he could see the eerie similarity to Harada that Sanosuke shared.

"You'd better be joking. No way I come this far only to turn back now!" Sanosuke replied, as he clenched his right hand into a fist…..only to regret that action, seconds later.

"You really have been stupid here, lately, haven't you?" Tetsunosuke sighed, finally breaking his silence, and grinning when Sanosuke gave him the evil eye for his efforts.

"Stupid doesn't even begin to describe……" Saito muttered, dryly, as he took casual puffs on his cigarette, and remained unfazed at the glare he was getting from the fight merchant for that.

"Well…..at least the bleeding has been stopped. We'll have stabilize the hand with a wrap, for now." Kenshin said, deciding to say nothing to add to the comments of the two former Shinsengumi…..yet agreeing with them, nonetheless. Yet he seemed vaguely surprised when Sanosuke stood, took the medicine container from him, and then looked at Anji. The man who had been called the 'Bright King' only an hour earlier was now only a sad shadow of himself, as he sat in subjugation before the imposing Fudo Myo-ou; the rage fueling him completely spent.

"Anji……" Sanosuke said, his respect for his 'teacher' easily seen, even then. Kenshin allowed himself a sigh, and then placed a hand on Sanosuke's shoulder.

"Even Megumi-dono's medicine……can't heal that wound." Kenshin murmured, yet watched as the fight merchant got closer, and began to speak again.

"Anji, there's nothing wrong with wanting to save the weak. You're just doing it the wrong way. Mistakes can be fixed. Start another mission…..not as a god of anger…..but as a priest of kindness, instead." Sanosuke quietly said; his young eyes showing a wisdom that had been gained by hard-learned experience.

"People……are not so easily…..saved…..by kindness." Anji's broken voice replied; never once looking up, as he said that.

"I know. That lesson…..I learned the hard way, ten years ago." Sanosuke murmured, somberly, as he remembered the loss of Sagara Souzou, and the dark path he had followed for a decade afterwards.

"It was a lesson I'd also learned at a high cost, as well." Tetsunosuke added, as he recalled the grisly details of his father's murder……and the other murder that had made his one true friend back then lose his mind.

"Even so…..Those kids in that memorial tablet thrived on your kindness…..even up to and beyond the moment of their death." Sanosuke stated, as he turned to leave again; noticing when a look of realization appeared on Anji's face, and they could only guess that he was remembering his time with the children, at that point, "For their sake, you'd better not let it end here." For maybe a moment or two, there was thoughtful silence, and then Anji spoke again…..this time with a slight note of desperation in his voice.

"It still may not be too late……Hurry and go back!" Anji warned, his words sending a jolt through the four men, prompting them to turn and look at him questioningly.

"What….did you mean by that?" Tetsunosuke asked, tensely.

"The Juppongatana ahead are Soujiro, Usui, Tsuno, and Houji. The rest have already gone to the massacre at the Aoi-ya." Anji said, urgently, his words chilling all of them to their cores.

"_Shit! Everyone's in trouble!_" Tetsunosuke thought, his blood running cold at the thought of Saya being in such danger, and he could tell that Kenshin was thinking along the same lines he was.

"Shishio….." Kenshin growled, furiously; his eyes gaining a slight amber hue at the underhanded plot on the shadow hitokiri's part.

"Don't you dare blame him! The plan was all Houji's idea, not Shishio-sama's!" Yumi said, angrily, when she'd noticed the anger towards her beloved in their eyes.

"It doesn't matter! We need to get back there!" Sanosuke growled, as he gripped Yumi's shoulder firmly in an attempt to intimidate her to lead them back to the point where they had started from.

"It's no use. I only know the way to here. Not from. You're free to go ahead and try to head back…..but know that you will get lost, and those at the Aoi-ya will still die. As will you." Yumi sneered, not in the least bit afraid of the former fight merchant's anger, nor of the two rurouni or the cop that stood behind him with concern and some anger in their eyes, as well.

"_Okita-san!__ Can you lead us back?!_" Tetsunosuke asked, anxiously; his worry only furthered, when the ghostly First Unit commander shook his head and gave him a dismayed look.

"_I'd almost gotten lost myself, coming in here, Tetsu! And this was a shrine, at one point, so I can't come and go as I please, either!_" Okita replied; his words easily heard by the quartet, as they exchanged uneasy glances with one another. Did they dare continue to move forward?

"We've no choice…..but to trust in them…..Trust, and keep moving onward. Backtracking and getting lost is something we can't risk doing….." Kenshin finally murmured, as a grave look emerged in his amethyst eyes, and he exchanged glances with Tetsunosuke.

"_Please_….._Shishou_….._get there in time!_" Tetsunosuke silently added, as he looked back the way they had come for just a moment, before they continued on their way; hoping against hope that Hiko Seijuro would get there in time before the worst could happen……

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It had taken only a few hours for the assassins under the Juppongatana's command to get to the Aoi-ya, and the sheer number of them was staggering.

"We're completely surrounded! There must be more than one-hundred fifty of them!" Okon shouted, as she rushed into the room where Kaoru and the rest were waiting.

"So Himura-kun's guess was correct, then….." Okina murmured.

"Yeah…..As much as I wish he'd been wrong." Harada agreed, as he hefted his spear; as prepared to defend the Aoi-ya as the rest.

"It's time for battle, either way." Misao stated, determinedly.

"Think less about beating them, and more about protecting yourselves!" Kaoru commanded, her tone getting smirks and nods from the two ex-Shinsengumi, and agreements from the Oniwabanshu, as well.

"You'll get no disagreement to that, Kamiya-san." Shinpachi muttered, in response.

"And the Oniwabanshu aren't even allowed to die, not while I'm Okashira!" Misao added, even though a hint of nervousness could barely be seen in her eyes…..Everyone could tell that this was really her maiden battle, and she didn't want to lose anyone in it.

"One hundred and fifty…..That'll leave a little less than twenty for each of us." Yahiko said, as he and Yutaro both cautiously opened one of the windows and looked out at the masked soldiers surrounding the inn.

"You should think you'd be so lucky, bozu." A voice called, from just within the blocked-in perimeter, and their attention was pulled to the flamboyantly-clothed fighter standing there with two other equally as unusual men beside him, "They are only here to prevent you from running away……We are the ones you will deal with. So come out now, and die!"

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Their arrival in the next hall was swift, as the anxiety for their allies safety hurried them on.

"We're here. The second hall. Once you open the doors, you can't go…..!" Yumi started to say, only to be cut off by both Kenshin and Tetsunosuke kicking the door down.

"Spare us the build-up, lady, we aren't interested." Tetsunosuke snapped, angrily, as they entered the room and came face-to-face with their next opponent. The room before them was among the most unusual they had ever seen; all along the walls, on the floor, and even on the ceiling, painted eyes glared back at them.

"_I've heard of having eyes in the back of one's head, but this is ridiculous!_" Okita muttered, and got a ready agreement to that, from Sanosuke.

"_You're not kiddin' about that._" Sanosuke silently mumbled, and looked again to see that the next fighter was sitting in the center of the odd room.

"Welcome." The fighter greeted, seemingly casually, "Let's see…..One, two, three…..four…..It seems that Anji couldn't kill even one of you? Well, that's fine with me….."

"There's no time for small talk. Decide whether you're staying in our way, or going." Tetsunosuke growled, as he and Kenshin prepared themselves for a fight.

"And decide quickly." Kenshin added, his tone almost as dark as it was when he would change into the Battousai……Neither of them noticing that Saito was moving until it was too late.

"Kenshin, Tetsu, look……!" Sanosuke tried to warn them, yet could only flinch slightly when the cop backhanded both rurouni, and both landed on their backs from the force of the blow.

"….._Out_……" Okita mumbled, finishing Sanosuke's thought; almost subconsciously exchanging glances with the ex-fight merchant and then taking a few steps backwards from the cop for added measure.

"Anger can be useful, on occasion. But impatience creates tension and lowers effectiveness." Saito growled, then took up a position in front of the blind fighter, "I'll take care of this one. You three go on ahead."

"S-saito-san?" Tetsunosuke heard himself ask, yet could feel his heart almost freeze, when the cop glanced at him, and gave him and Okita a foreboding look.

"_C-could it be_……_that Tatsu is just ahead of us?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as he listened to Kenshin and Sanosuke begin to get their wits about them, and pick up their pace; urging him to follow them, moments later.

"Tetsu?" Kenshin asked, when he'd noticed the spooked look on the younger rurouni's face, before he realized what was going on, and started running.

"Kenshin, I think we're about to see just what my brother has become….." Tetsunosuke almost whispered, as a familiar ki came to him……and as the changes in it chilled him to the core.

**_Author's Note!_**

**_Sorry about the short chapter, minna, but I've reached a sort of conundrum, here. Should I show Saito's battle against Usui? Or should I go ahead and have Tetsu's showdown with Tatsu, instead? (I'm also in desperate need of some ideas on how that should go…..) Either way, I will strive to make the next chapter longer, I promise!_**

**_Gemini14_**


	28. Revenge and Redemption

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Revenge and Redemption

"You won't get away with this! If Usui wins, you three are next!" Yumi yowled, as they rushed through the hall; writhing and seething in Sanosuke's grip, as she did so.

"I'll hold you to that, onna." Sanosuke gritted, then glanced at Kenshin and Tetsunosuke. Not much was being said between the two rurouni, now, since Tetsu had picked up on the ki of his once-missing elder brother…..and the dread was deepening the further they went.

"_It's bad enough that even Saito had looked uneasy about this_….._I wonder what's waiting for us, there?_" Sanosuke wondered, then glared at Yumi again, "Are we at the next hall yet?! This onna's heavy!"

"Who are you calling heavy?!" Yumi hissed, furiously, as she glared back at him, "We're almost there, so quit whining!"

"Correction…..we're here." Tetsunosuke finally murmured; skidding to an abrupt halt and freezing to the spot, when they arrived at the door where the ki was the strongest. He almost jumped out of his skin, when Kenshin placed a firm hand on his shoulder, and he then turned to see the reassuring looks his two comrades now gave him; this somehow steeling his resolve to redeem his brother's soul….no matter what the cost.

"Let's get this over with….." Tetsunosuke almost whispered, as he then opened the door and led the way inside.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The room itself was dimly lit; only a few candles and lanterns providing meager light to what appeared to be a huge, empty hall. Or, not quite empty, as they soon were able to see……

"Kenshin…..Tetsu…..Are you seeing what I'm seeing?!" Sanosuke muttered, unnerved enough to drop Yumi right on her backside (much to the said woman's displeasure). Both rurouni answered him with shaky nods. All around them, they could see what appeared to be portraits; on the wall to their right, life-sized paintings of the Shinsengumi stood, their eyes almost seeming to follow them, as the three fighters gazed about themselves in disbelief. On their left, all of the most noteworthy men of the Ishin Shishi were represented. There was even a portrait for Sagara Souzou as well!

"Damn…..Whoever this 'Tsuno' guy is, he's got one hell of an eye for detail!" Sanosuke mumbled, for once impressed by the artwork he was seeing, yet still disturbed by it, regardless.

"Sessha agrees with you on that, Sano." Kenshin murmured, in uneasy agreement; fingering his sakabatou, as he said that.

"Very kind of you to say so." A raspy voice said, as the owner of it appeared before them; yet it was the voice that sent a jolt through Tetsunosuke, once again. In the light of the small, flickering flames, the man that stood before them looked as though he had been cut from the shadows around him; a living swatch of darkness, that now gazed at them with blood-red eyes.

"What the hell is all this? Why're these here?" Sanosuke asked, as they prepared for a fight. At this, 'Tsuno' only shrugged.

"Bullets and gunpowder are expensive…..thus I need at least something to make money. What better way of doing so than painting?" Tsuno asked, rhetorically; his words causing all three men's faces to pale dramatically….the situation seeming even more eerily similar to what had happened with Sano's old friend, some time before.

"Your master doesn't buy what you need for you?" Tetsunosuke finally questioned; forcing the words out with great effort. At this, they could swear that they heard him snicker.

"The needs his coming revolution has far outweigh my own…..I have to raise money to buy my own ammo…..even though it is against the rules." Tsuno almost crooned; his comment setting the alarm bells off in Tetsunosuke's mind.

"Kenshin, Sano, back up. I'm going to need some room to fight, very shortly." Tetsunosuke said, tensely, as he took up a position in front of them and gripped his katanas tightly in his hands.

"Tetsu…..You're sure?" Kenshin asked, concernedly. He only got a nod from the younger rurouni, as a response.

"Raising private funds……That was one of the 'Laws' of the Shinsengumi that was punishable by death…..If this man knows this, then he really is…." Tetsunosuke said, softly, and then stepped forward, "_Tatsu-nii_…."

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Tsuno watched closely, as the younger man stepped forward; his keen senses picking up on the slight nuances that had identified Tetsunosuke years ago.

"_His presence and stance are very much like his_……_even his hair color is the same_….._But the eyes_……" Tsuno mused, as he gazed into the younger rurouni's eyes. The younger man's gaze was strong, even though there was a hint of worry and fear hidden there…..What was he so afraid of?

"_It doesn't make sense. If this man truly were my brother, he should have attacked, by now. Why hasn't he?_" Tsuno wondered, before speaking again, "I'm sure you are all wondering why I have the Shinsengumi and Ishin Shishi gathered here, aren't you?"

"Among other things….." Kenshin muttered, despite himself, as he again glanced at the paintings around him……and saw something they had all missed before. In each of the Shinsengumi's portraits, right between each 'man's' eyes, a single hole could barely be seen. And, in each of the Ishin Shishi's, there were jagged tears in their 'chests'; making it look almost as though they had been torn open by a wild beast.

"Kami-sama….." Yumi was heard to whisper, apparently having been completely unaware of what the man before her had been doing, before now.

"Took the words right outta my mouth, onna." Sanosuke mumbled; for once agreeing with her, and feeling his stomach roil in protest at just what this meant.

"In just ten years, this country has fallen so far. The strong have died, to give way for the weak, leaving whatever loved ones they may have had to mourn. The few who have been fortunate enough to have survived, are continually hunted, until they can run no more…..and are tortured and executed. In the new era Shishio is going to bring, the strong will no longer have to die, in order to reassure the weak!" Tsuno growled, as he remembered clearly what had happened to the Shinsengumi, years before; many of them had been killed during the battle of Toba Fushimi, the most noteworthy of which had been Hijikata and Inoue, while the rest had either died off afterwards, or been killed by the fledgling government. In his mind, there was no way any of his former comrades could have survived…..least of all his little brother.

"The punishment…..for seeking personal revenge…..is death….." Tetsunosuke very nearly whispered; almost going unheard by Tsuno, yet getting a sneer for it, in answer to it.

"It seems you know of the laws the Demon Vice-Captain had devised, a little over ten years ago, very well. Who was it you said you were, again?" Tsuno asked, mockingly, as he began to finger the pistols that were attached to either hip, threateningly.

"Ichimura Tetsunosuke…..the 'Peacemaker' of the Shinsengumi….and page to that selfsame Vice-Commander you have just mentioned." Tetsunosuke replied, hesitantly; watching closely when Tsuno stiffened, and then glared at him.

"You dare to use that name, dog?" Tsuno snarled, as true rage began to rise from deep within him.

"It's my name. I don't have any other." Tetsunosuke replied, boldly; all the while glancing over his shoulder and giving both Kenshin and Sanosuke desperate looks, trying to warn them of what was coming…..the effort paying off, when both of the other men cautiously moved back.

"Now I see it. You're not who I thought you were, at all. The new government chose you because you look as my brother would have, had he survived these ten long years….." Tsuno intoned, as he smoothly unholstered his pistols, and aimed them at Tetsunosuke, "I will not let the government fool me, this time."

"_WATCH OUT!!_" Okita shouted, his warning coming almost too late; for the moment the younger Wolf began to move, both guns went off.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

With a desperate leap, Tetsunosuke narrowly avoided the bullets that came screaming at him from Tsuno's guns; swiftly moving to the opposite end of the room in an attempt to draw the fire away from Sano, Kenshin, and Yumi.

"_What kept ya, Okita-san?!_" Tetsunosuke asked, as he did what he could to keep from getting shot; irritation swiftly changing to uneasiness, when he saw the strained expression on the ghostly First Unit captain's face.

"_It's taking all I have just to stay in the room, Tetsu_….._This man's ki is unbelievably strong!_" Okita replied, from between gritted teeth, "_His hatred and madness are giving him a strength of will that matches even your Shishou's, at this point!_"

"_So you're saying that because of his intense rage at the government, he's as strong as Hiko, spiritually?_" Tetsunosuke questioned, as he unsheathed both of his katanas and blocked a shot that had been aimed at his head. Okita could only nod.

"_Damn_….._I'm screwed, then. All I can hope for, is that he runs out of ammo_……" Tetsunosuke thought; before finally deciding to try an attack, himself, "Nibai Okami Kiba!"

"You even dare to use his techniques!! Damn you!" Tsuno howled, as he skillfully fired his pistols into his path; forcing the younger Wolf to cut his attack short, and dodge again. He gritted his teeth, when at least two of the bullets grazed him; one opened a cut on his left shoulder, and the other left a wound on the left side of Tetsu's face.

"_Seems I'm gonna have a matching scar there, when all's said and done_….." Tetsunosuke mused, sourly; skidding to a halt in front of Hijikata's painting, and pausing just long enough to wipe the blood from his face, and see how deep the wound on his arm was.

"How skilled you are, to only have two wounds after that! It seems the government's dog is well-chosen!" Tsuno growled, appreciatively.

"I may be a kicked dog, to you, but even an injured Wolf still has his fangs to use as he will." Tetsunosuke retorted; his eyes showing a strength and will to live that had been hard-learned, "I won't let anyone else suffer the horrors of that burning room, as I had."

"'_Burning room'? What the hell does that have to do with anything?_" Sanosuke wondered, as he exchanged bewildered glances with Kenshin.

"So, you know what had happened to my little brother, before we had joined the Shinsengumi, eh?" Tsuno asked furiously; Tetsunosuke's words beginning to awaken something within himself, as he spoke. Tetsunosuke's eyes then narrowed, and he in turn nodded.

"Choshu revolutionaries murdered our parents, Tatsu…..Otou-san had been beheaded…..and Okaa-san had been killed by a sword-thrust through her heart. I saw the whole thing…..from within a small cupboard…..I could only watch as their killer set the house on fire….." Tetsunosuke said, his eyes getting a haunted look in them, as he spoke, "It's taken me ten years to put the full horror of that day behind me…..To not wake up screaming, every time I smell smoke….."

"What a convincing actor the government has put before me! Did they honestly believe I would fall for such a blatant lie?" Tsuno asked, as he rushed forward; skillfully batting the two katanas aside, as he did so, "How terribly foolish, indeed!" And yet, instead of moving, or even raising his swords to defend himself, Tetsunosuke merely looked up into those familiar eyes, and gave Tsuno a sad look.

"Tetsu!" Kenshin and Sano yelped, when they saw this happen; yet they could do nothing, since the gunman was so close to their friend, that he would probably kill him before they could even get close enough to help.

"With you pointing those guns at me, you're no better than the man who had brutally slaughtered my parents." Tetsunosuke said, softly.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

For a few seconds, all went still around the pair, as the words sank into Tsuno's brain.

"What…..did you say?" Tsuno asked; his gaze boring into the younger man, mercilessly.

"You're no better than the monster who had murdered my parents, since you fight for a man who would have that sort of world forced upon the weak and defenseless!" Tetsunosuke growled back, biting back a snarl of pain, when Tsuno struck him with the side of the gun; listening as some of his ribs cracked, from the force of the blow.

"Wrong! You are wrong! I chose this path to make certain the tragedies of the past never occur again!" Tsuno howled, as he fired some more rounds at the younger Wolf; his shots becoming even more accurate, the longer the confrontation went.

"You're just making it possible for them to happen again!" Tetsunosuke replied; stifling a cry of pain when two of the bullets ended up in his left side, and his blood splashed onto the portrait of Okita, behind him, "In the era that Shishio is planning to bring, more and more families will be torn apart by violence, and more children will be made into orphans! Nothing will change for the better, in fact, it will be a hundred times worse than the Bakumatsu had been……and it will probably rival the days of the Sengoku in bloodshed!"

"Lies….." Tsuno snarled, as he took aim at the younger man again; freezing almost instantly afterwards, when he noticed something. In the light of the flickering lanterns, the younger man's red-brown eyes had taken on an added golden hue, and his bright red hair seemed to have lightened slightly, as well. But it was the look in those eyes that numbed Tsuno to the core…..a look of intense grief, over what he had become…..over what he'd let his desire for vengeance change him into.

"_It just ain't right for you, Dragon Boy. Someday, that gun_……" Ryoma Sakamoto's voice whispered, somewhere deep within Tsuno's mind; forcing him to lower the pistol aimed at Tetsunosuke's heart, and to look closely into those strong eyes again…..To truly see what kind of man his little brother had become, "_Someday that gun will be pointed at the person you love the most._"

"By the kami…..what have I done?" Tsuno muttered, as he allowed himself to fall to his knees; suddenly unable to remain standing, in the face of what he'd about to do.

"Tetsu! You all right, man?!" Sanosuke shouted, unable to stay silent any longer, and voicing his concern for the younger rurouni right away. To Tsuno's surprise, the younger man had also sunken into a kneeling position; gripping his bleeding side as tightly as he could, while his two friend rushed to his side.

"Y-yeah……About as well as can be expected, Sano." Tetsunosuke replied, with a pained grin, as both fight merchant and elder rurouni came up to him.

"Oh kami…..Tetsu!" Tsuno suddenly yelped, as he suddenly found the strength to stand up again, and rush over as well. He felt some relief, when he saw the elder of the two rurouni binding Tetsu's wounds, and then the irony of this situation appeared.

"I guess…..I should take it…..that you consider Tetsu to be one of your allies now, Himura Battousai-dono?" Tsuno asked, the raspy quality in his voice making him sound even older than he truly was. At this, Kenshin nodded.

"Aa. If anything, Tetsu is one of the closest friends sessha has had, since the Bakumatsu. Why do you ask?" Kenshin in turn questioned, confusedly.

"I can only hope that he won't regret his friendship with you…..since the last close friend he'd had…..had not only been an enemy, but also had lost his mind, late in the war." Tsuno murmured, somberly, as he sat down alongside them, and gazed sadly and a little bit proudly at the man Tetsunosuke had become, despite his long absence from his life.

"No regrets here, Tatsu-nii." Tetsunosuke said, with a sure grin; a smile that finally broke through the illusion the black-clad man had been living in, for a whole decade

"_Tetsu_….._you have finally become a man_….._And you are a better man than I am, of that I have no chance of even measuring up to!_" Tatsunosuke thought, as he finally removed his mask, and the tears he'd thought had long-since dried up from within him began to flow freely down his cheeks. His little brother was still alive……and his need for revenge was dead. He could live with that.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Grr, this chapter didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, and was more confusing than any of the previous chapters before it! (And I know it was a disappointment, as far as the buildup and fight scene had been concerned) Sigh. I hope the next chapter turns out better, I really do! **_

_**Gemini14**_


	29. The Doorway to Honor

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Doorway to Honor

Once again, Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Tetsunosuke found themselves racing down the hallway towards the place where Shishio waited. With some reservation, they had left Tatsunosuke in the room where they had found him, with the promise that he would catch up with them soon.

"You sure you're still able to fight, Tetsu? Those gunshot wounds had looked pretty bad." Sanosuke said, as they ran along. At this, he got a slight smirk from the younger Wolf.

"Worry more about yourself, Sano. As long as there's evil here, I'll continue to fight. My wounds won't hold me back." Tetsunosuke reassured, even though a slight glint of pain could be seen in his eyes, despite his strong words. Then, abruptly, Kenshin skidded to a halt in front of another of the rooms; his eyes narrowing, when he felt the ki emanating from within.

"Don't be in such a rush. There's no one in there; that's Houji's room, and it's empty!" Yumi snapped, irritably; yet was even further annoyed, when the elder rurouni ignored her.

"What's up, Kenshin? Who's ki is this?" Tetsunosuke asked, when he'd noticed the unnerved look on his friend's face.

"Is this a trick?!" Sanosuke questioned, as he put Yumi down and snarled at her.

"I've already told you! Any 'tricks' you've seen so far have been Houji's idea from the start! Shishio-sama just doesn't do that in a duel! And Houji's in no shape to fight, so he couldn't be here!" Yumi snapped, angrily; leaping to the defense of her beloved, in the face of the unspoken insult towards him and his honor.

"That may be, Yumi-san……but whoever is here, he isn't Juppongatana…..even though he's still an ally of Shishio." Tetsunosuke murmured; feeling a chill work its' way down his spine, at the unearthly feel of the ki as he stood there. And it was just then, that it occurred to Sanosuke just who it could be…..and he allowed an alarmed look to appear on his own features, as well.

"It isn't…..!" Sanosuke started to say, yet trailed off when Kenshin gravely nodded.

"It is. The only one it could possibly be…..the Okashira of the Oniwabanshu Onmitsu…..Shinomori Aoshi…." Kenshin nearly whispered.

"Then the next step would be to face him…..There's no way around it." Tetsunosuke said, his own voice subdued by the feel of the former Okashira's ki, and when Kenshin nodded in agreement.

"_And yet, even as we stand here talking, the Aoi-Ya's in danger! We don't have that much time to waste! We've __got__ to hurry!_" Okita worriedly said, even though he knew that the trio before him knew it only too well. It was only now that they realized just how much the survival of their friends and loved ones hinged on the strength of Hiko Seijuro.

"_I just hope he's able to fight, when the time comes!_" Tetsunosuke worriedly thought, as they slowly opened the doors, and walked into the room where Aoshi waited…..hoping against hope that the swordmaster's strength would hold till they returned.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Come out, come out, wherever you are! The Juppongatana have come to play!" Kamatari sang, as he and his comrades stood in the blocked off street in front of the Aoi-Ya, "We're gonna chop off your heads and wrap them up for Shishio-sama!"

"…..That's the Juppongatana?!" Misao, Yahiko, and Yutaro muttered, in disbelief, as they eyed the weird-looking trio that stood apart from the one-hundred and fifty plain-looking fighters behind them.

"Freaky-ass lookin' bunch, aren't they?" Harada mumbled, as he gave Kamatari a look that said it all (and as Shinpachi also gave the strange fighter a grossed-out look, as well).

"Who'd've thunk it?" Kaoru added, as well.

"Good question." Susumu agreed.

"What shall we do, then?" Kaoru asked, as she turned to look at Okina questioningly.

"Hmm…..well, twelve on three beats twelve on one-fifty. Let's take them up on it!" Okina replied, strongly.

"Yet, it's not as though these are just any normal three fighters. As Kamiya had said, concentrate on defense, not offense." Susumu said, then added, "A crowd like that is bound to attract the attention of the police….If we can just hold them off long enough for them to notice it."

"How should we split it up, then? Three on the best, and three on the others?" Shiro then asked, with a brief glance over his shoulder at his comrades for an answer.

"No. We'll all strike at one, and bring him down quickly. Five on one gives us the best odds." Okina said, then looked at each group in particular, "Kaoru, Yahiko, Yutaro; keep the one in the black mask occupied!"

"Right!" the three agreed, with determined nods to add to it.

"Misao, you take on the one with the scythe, but don't try to finish the fight on your own. As for you five, take on our slow-looking friend! Bring him down fast!" Okina ordered, and got silent affirmatives from Shiro, Kuro, Okon, Omasu, and Saya for that.

"What about us?" Shinpachi asked, in turn; ready for an assignment from the older man, as well.

"You three try to keep as many of those others from interfering as possible." Okina commanded.

"You've got it." Harada replied, with a thumb's up before he hefted his spear in battle-readiness.

"Right, then! C'mon, everyone! Let's go!!" Misao shouted, before they all leaped from within the room; their weapons bared and ready. The time had come to fight…..and they could only hope that their strength would be enough. With loud shouts, the five Oniwabanshu struck first; throwing all manner of weapon at Iwanbo…..only to find out, to their dismay, just how thick-skinned the simpleton was, as they watched their weapons bounce right off of him.

"No good! His flesh is too thick!" Omasu yelped, when she'd seen this happen, and as they all warily backed up from Iwanbo at that.

"Damn…..He isn't even cut!" Kuro growled, his eyes narrowing even as he spoke. Yet they weren't prepared for what happened next. With a flourish of his hands, and a swifter leap than they had thought possible, Iwanbo attacked; knocking all of them off of their feet. As she flew through the air, Saya could only think of one thing…..

"_Tetsunosuke_….." Saya's mind whispered, before she braced herself for impact with the ground; knowing that she would have to get up quickly, so death wouldn't have the chance to claim her, before her beloved returned. As the world seemingly slowed down around her, Saya could see when Kaoru's and the two boys' attention was focused on the black-masked fighter, and could hear it when Kamatari again spoke up; his tone speaking more eloquently than anything else, the immense confidence he had in his abilities…..and the victory he seemed to think was just within his reach.

"I wouldn't worry about them….However, the one I'd worry about is you." Kamatari sneered, as he lifted the scythe into a ready position from off of his shoulders.

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?" Harada growled, as he, Shinpachi, and Susumu assumed positions with each of the three separate groups; ready to defend them, when the need arose.

"But why're you…..?!" Yutaro started to ask, yet felt the words die in his throat, when he saw the grimly determined looks in the two ex-Shinsengumi commanders' eyes.

"You're the Puppy's friends and allies……We're not about to let him suffer that kind of loss again. Not if we have anything to say about it." Shinpachi growled, as he stood alongside Misao.

"_Such strength and loyalty_….._Is this what Tetsu saw, when he was in the Shinsengumi?_" Yahiko wondered, as he glimpsed for himself what had cemented the firm bond between the Wolves of Mibu...and it made him even more determined to live up to the younger rurouni's trust.

"You ready, Yutaro?" Yahiko quietly asked, as he gave his fellow student a quick glance.

"Been ready." Yutaro replied; the glint in his own blue eyes proving that he'd also taken the camaraderie of the Shinsengumi to heart.

"_That's the spirit, you two. Show these bastards what the true future of Japan really looks like!_" Harada thought, when he'd felt the strength in the boys' ki, then gave Henya a smirk that would have frozen any normal man's blood.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The room Aoshi had chosen was a sight to behold, as the three men and their guide walked through it.

"_Knowing how much Tatsu-nii loved to read when we were younger, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he __didn't__ choose this room_….." Tetsunosuke mused, then looked at Kenshin, when Sanosuke started to speak up again about his own misgivings.

"Kenshin…..You're sure about this?" Sanosuke questioned, as he also glance around uneasily at his surroundings. At this, the elder rurouni sighed.

"A promise was made, to bring Aoshi home….to Misao-dono…..and, before that, a promise was made to Aoshi….for a battle." Kenshin murmured, as they moved further into the library.

"Miss this chance, and both promises will come to nothing. You've got no choice but to fulfill them." Tetsunosuke added; understanding too well just what was going through his friend's mind, at this point, "Thus you've opened the Door to Honor with your own hands."

"Aa." Kenshin agreed, as they rounded a corner, looked down another of the book-laden aisles, and saw the man they had been looking for. Clad in a white trench coat and a black sort of uniform, with what appeared to be a long bladed sword on his lap, Shinomori Aoshi was an imposing sight to behold…..But the part that truly sent chills down Tetsunosuke's spine, was the fact that when the Onmitsu looked up, there was no life in his eyes whatsoever.

"_Damn. It's like I'm looking at the walking dead_….._Did Saito-san ever face someone like this?_" Tetsunosuke wondered, as Kenshin stepped forward, and silently motioned for them to move back.

"You've come." Aoshi intoned, as he looked up at Kenshin; dead blue eyes just barely showing any reaction at all to anyone else (even though Tetsunosuke could see what could have been the barest hint of surprise, when he'd noticed the similarity between them).

"Yes." Kenshin replied; nodding as he did so.

"Is now the time then,…..Himura Battousai?" Aoshi asked, as he silently and gracefully stood up.

"Aoshi…..you've changed so much…..It's hard to believe you're the same man I had faced in Kanryuu Mansion." Kenshin said, with some dismay in his own voice, when he'd also felt how strange Aoshi's ki felt now.

"To defeat you….and become the one, true hitokiri……I will change into anything." Aoshi growled, as he took what Tetsunosuke had taken to be nodachi, and split it into two; unsheathing both and revealing them to be dual kodachi!

"Draw, Battousai." Aoshi finally snarled, as he held the kodachi in front of him, ready for a fight…..A fight he was determined to see end in bloodshed…..

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Sorry for the long wait, minna, but Writer's Block has been very relentless, in recent months. Hopefully I'll still be able to finish this before the year is up! Wish me luck in the next chapter, please! (I could use all the help I can get, lol)**_

_**Gemini14 **_


	30. Of Humanity and Honor

Chapter Thirty: Of Humanity and Honor

For a few, brief moments, all Tetsunosuke and Sanosuke could do was watch, as Kenshin reached for his sakabatou, froze, and then clenched his left hand into a fist; refusing to draw, at the last moment.

"Kenshin?!" Sanosuke yelped, confused and a bit unnerved, when the elder rurouni merely stood where he was and gazed at the onmitsu.

"What is this?" Aoshi almost hissed, his dead eyes getting a hint of what could have been confusion in them, when he'd seen this, "After all this, do you mean to abandon our battle?"

"The promise will be kept….both to you, and one other…..To an Okashira of the Oniwabanshu Onmitsu. To one not yourself." Kenshin replied.

"What can you mean?" Aoshi again asked, even though no change could be seen in his ready stance.

"Give it up, Kenshin. If he'd been the type to see sense, then maybe this could've been ended at Kanryuu's mansion. And he'll never change that much." Sanosuke murmured, as he warily eyed the warrior in front of them.

"If that's the case, Sano, then Kenshin's promise to Misao-chan will be broken. He'd promised her that he'd bring the Aoshi she had known back…..not the one standing here." Tetsunosuke almost growled, as he also gave Aoshi an uneasy look.

"Aa…..Even if this one were brought home, it would mean nothing. The promise to Aoshi will be kept…..but not to the one who has purged himself of all human feeling." Kenshin added, quietly.

"Are you quite through?" Aoshi questioned; his almost monotone voice sending chills of dread down at least two of the men's backs, in response to it.

"He's coming, Kenshin….Draw your sword!" Sanosuke almost nervously said, as he watched Aoshi advance on his friend one step.

"No." Kenshin refused, once again.

"You don't mean to tell me that you were serious?!" Sanosuke growled.

"This new Aoshi will be stopped by way of the terrain, and made to see that Kenshin can't be defeated…..It's a shot in the dark, but it might be the only chance he's got to snap him out of it." Tetsunosuke murmured, when he'd realized what Kenshin was going to try to do.

"But we don't have time for this pain-in-the-ass way of doing this!" Sanosuke muttered.

"Gomen." Kenshin apologized, smiling slightly when he felt Sanosuke's tension ease a little bit, and then saw the fight merchant smirk.

"Then again, 'pain-in-the-ass' is your middle name. What the hell! Do what you've gotta do!" Sanosuke said, before both he and Tetsunosuke leaped aside to avoid the now rapidly-moving Aoshi's first strike.

"Don't forget, my friend, that 'pain-in-the-ass' is a nickname of mine, as well." Tetsunosuke mumbled, as they regained their footing, and he unsheathed both of his katanas, just to be safe.

"Not about to forget that, my friend." Sanosuke replied, as they watched the fight begin from a safe distance. With a yell, Kenshin also leaped to one side of the aisle of bookshelves; reaching out, grabbing the books nearest him, and then throwing them into Aoshi's path. Then, with a swiftness that they were both used to seeing, the elder rurouni then jumped onto the top of the bookshelf, just before Aoshi's next strikes could land. None of them even noticed, when Yumi slipped away from them; heading for another part of the library that was currently hidden from view by a few more bookshelves……

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

And moments later, the news of the fight was arriving in Shishio's quarters by way of a telegraph.

"Shishio-sama, a telegram from Yumi!" Houji said, as he reached over to the machine and pulled the message from the printing part of it.

"Go ahead." Shishio urged, with a nod.

"'Anji and Tsuno have been defeated…..Usui is fighting Saito Hajime…..and Himura and Shinomori Aoshi have begun their battle in my room….'" Houji murmured, then growled softly under his breath, "Not good. Not good at all!" To this, Shishio almost seemed to shrug, and then lean forward; puffing nonchalantly on his pipe, as he did so.

"Not so bad. Almost no one can fight Anji and come away unharmed, and Usui is sure to leave some wounds on Saito, as well…..even though he's sure to lose, in the end. Even Tsuno won't allow himself to lose without wounding his opponent." Shishio smoothly said, then calmly breathed out his next comment along with the smoke from his pipe, "With those others injured, Battousai will be easily dealt with."

"S-such confidence." Houji mumbled; stunned by how much the bandaged man had thought this through. He received a smirk for this comment, as well as what could have been an arched eyebrow.

"Would you rather see me flustered and about to panic, Houji?" Shishio questioned, rhetorically; getting a shake of the head from Houji, in answer to that.

"In any case, the time has come for Battousai and Aoshi to settle their score." Shishio then murmured, and glanced at Soujiro as he spoke, "Sou, ready your sword, even though their battle is bound to drag on for a while."

"Hai." Soujiro agreed; before leaving the room and heading for the training hall. He was therefore unaware that he had a shadow following close behind him…..and it wasn't exactly his own.

"_Soujiro_….._Even though we share a name, and his ki feels so much like my own, I know nothing about him. Is he my son? If so, then who could his mother have been? Why can't I remember?_" Okita wondered, as he trailed alongside the teenager; troubled by the fact that the last years of his life were a blank in his mind…..

"_Why? Why can't I remember something so important? Tetsu and his friends are going to need the information before they get to this point!_" Okita fretfully thought, as he wracked his brain to try and figure out exactly what had happened…..and how he could possibly regain those lost memories, before the worst could happen.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Tetsunosuke watched in tense silence, as Kenshin ran along the top of one of the bookshelves, with Aoshi following close behind, on the floor beneath it. He had to stop himself from rushing to the elder rurouni's side, when the former Okashira made an attempt to climb onto the same bookshelf Kenshin was on; feeling some relief when Kenshin also noticed this, and jumped out of sight behind it.

"Aoshi! As you are now, even if sessha never draws, your hope of victory is slim!" Kenshin shouted, then somehow knocked the heavy bookshelf over! For a spilt second, a hint of relief could be felt in Sanosuke's ki, yet Tetsunosuke knew it was too soon to be feeling anything like that.

"_He's not going to give up that easily, Kenshin_….." Tetsunosuke thought, yet allowing his jaw to drop, when he saw what happened next. Almost instantly, the bookshelf flew apart; chopped into pieces by an attack that all three of them just barely caught a glimpse of.

"Kenshin! Move!" Tetsunosuke yelped, when he saw that his friend was now within sight of the Onmitsu again…..

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"'Drag on'? Why do you say that, Shishio-sama?" Houji questioned, curiously, when he was sure that Soujiro was out of earshot.

"It's obvious. Battousai and Aoshi's skills are nearly equal….When those two cross swords, it will, in no uncertain terms, be a long, deadly chiseling away at one another's strength and lives." Shishio replied, as he took another pull from his pipe, then smirked knowingly. He could almost see in his mind's eye just what was happening in Houji's room.

"_I suppose all we can do, at this point, is wait, Shishio-sama_….._even though I know for a fact that you're right._" Houji mused; returning his full attention to the messages coming in from Yumi's end about the battle that was going on now, and placing his complete trust in his master's instincts.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Before even the last book had hit the floor, an unbelievable thing had just occurred in front of the ex-fight merchant and ex-Shinsengumi; with impossible speed and strength, considering that Aoshi wasn't a master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, he had forced Kenshin to draw his blade!

"_He was forced to draw! Damn this looks bad!_" Tetsunosuke thought; inwardly cursing the rules of combat, in this case, since he wasn't allowed to help his imperiled friend.

"_But make no mistake_….._If he even tries to finish Kenshin off, I'll give him a taste of my own blades for added measure._" Tetsunosuke silently added, as he touched the hilts of both of his katanas; eyes narrowing when Aoshi's voice again was heard.

"At last, you have drawn. Good. Now I can finally fight." Aoshi intoned, as he adjusted his grip on his kodachi, then swiftly attacked again. Barely reacting with time to spare, Kenshin leaped back; delivering his own blow to counter the attack against him as he did so. Yet Tetsunosuke could only growl when blood gushed from his friend's shoulder seconds later.

"_This has gotta be torture for Tetsu to even watch, since he can't help out this time, either._" Sanosuke mused, as he gave the younger rurouni a sidewards glance, and saw how he was just barely refraining from joining the fight, especially when Aoshi started getting even more blows in. And both felt genuine alarm, when Kenshin was slammed against another of the bookshelves, and Aoshi started to launch another attack.

"Kenshin!" they both yelped, when they saw this happen…..relieved when they saw Kenshin charged at Aoshi, using his Ryu Kan Sen while doing so…..and feeling just as stunned as Kenshin looked, when Aoshi somehow blocked it.

"Yarou!!" Tetsunosuke snarled, just about to charge in, but was halted in his tracks by Kenshin himself.

"No, Tetsu…..Don't. Remember your own injuries, my friend." Kenshin gasped; having somehow found enough time to sense Tetsunosuke's fury, and his desire to fight at his side, even though he'd been busy fighting.

"To hell with my injuries!" Tetsunosuke growled, then added, "I'm former Shinsengumi, Kenshin…..I can't just watch as this dead man gets away with injuring a comrade of mine!" For this, he only got a stern look from the elder rurouni; a look that Tetsunosuke had only seen on so few faces in his lifetime…..an expression that held some command in it, as well as concern.

"It isn't your choice, Tetsu. Stay out of this." Kenshin commanded, his tone telling Tetsunosuke that he expected to be obeyed, this time. And, surprisingly enough, Aoshi had paused long enough to allow Kenshin to stop the younger rurouni from entering their battle.

"Ready to continue, Battousai?" Aoshi asked.

"Aa." Kenshin replied; even though he sounded as though he were wishing that the fight were already over with. And no sooner had those words been said between them, did the battle begin again in earnest.

"Kodachi Nito-Ryu, Onmyo-Hasshi!" Aoshi snarled, as he sent his next attack flying towards Kenshin's head.

"_A flying strike like the Hiryu Sen?!_" Kenshin wondered, as he knocked the kodachi aside….only to find the second one traveling the same path behind it! He had barely enough time to dodge the second short sword, before Aoshi himself struck; with kicks and punches aplenty.

"Dammit." Tetsunosuke gritted, when he saw Kenshin fall back again; gasping harshly for breath, as he did so.

"Get up, Battousai." Aoshi commanded, coldly, as he bent to pick up his dual kodachi, "The man I know wouldn't fall to something like this. Just as you had said to me moments ago, defeating you as you are now would be nothing. The one I must defeat is the one who had been known as the ultimate warrior of the Bakumatsu…..the legendary Hitokiri Battousai himself. You."

"_What a monster._" Tetsunosuke thought, his hackles rising even further, when Aoshi continued to speak, since Kenshin showed no signs of getting up yet.

"Once you are defeated, for the memory of those four who lived and died for battle, the world will finally know it is we who are the strongest!" Aoshi added, yet looked aside when Tetsunosuke finally spoke up; bright red-brown eyes flashing with something akin to righteous anger, as he did so.

"So it was for that that you gave up on being human?! You threw away your pride, compassion, and your discernment of good and evil?! What about the people who had trusted you?!" Tetsunosuke asked, as he struggled to keep himself from launching an attack against the former Okashira when he looked his way.

"I threw them away as well…..even though they trod the same path as I…." Aoshi replied, as a hint of something that resembled emotion appeared in his ice-colored eyes…..something that made Tetsunosuke wonder if he'd imagined it, when Aoshi returned his full attention to Kenshin again, "Stand, Battousai! For you face your own defeat, while I hold the blossom of Glory in my hand…..and with it, my life as the last Okashira of the Bakumatsu will be at its' end. Reverse your sakabatou, and answer my sword at full strength!"

"_He fights, expecting to die. He's already given up on life_…._and really has thrown everything away for this._" Sanosuke thought, uneasily, and could tell that Tetsunosuke was thinking along the same lines he was, when they both exchanged glances.

"Lives to fight, and lives to die……Just like Tatsu, just a short while ago….." Tetsunosuke murmured; bothered by this, for more than just one reason, since he could see how much worse his encounter with his long-lost brother could have been, if he'd been as warped as Aoshi now seemed…..and yet…..

"_What had that expression been in his eyes, just seconds ago? Was it, as Tou-san had called it, a 'flicker of conscience'? Was that what it was?_" Tetsunosuke wondered; feeling some relief when Kenshin slowly got to his feet, and stood before Aoshi again.

"'End it all with the blossom of Glory in hand'?! You come into this battle thinking thoughts like that?! You're a fool!" Kenshin spat, as he glared up at the onmitsu's face; amethyst eyes blazing as he did so, "Misao-dono, Okina-dono, Hannya, Shikijo, Beshimi, Hyottoko…..None of them wants this to end with your death! All right, Aoshi, you'll get what you asked for. This battle must be won; knowing what had happened to those four, your defeat had seemed unbearable….But, obviously, your heart cannot be turned by mere talk. You have made your own defeat inevitable. But know this! If it to be done at all, it will be done as sessha's self….As Himura Kenshin!!"

"So you'll fight full-strength, but still not turn your blade?" Aoshi asked, as a hint of confusion appeared on his stony features. Kenshin nodded.

"That's right." Kenshin confirmed, with just as much determination in his eyes, as before.

"Again, nonsense." Aoshi growled, before slicing the end of one of the bookcases to pieces; sending shredded bits of paper flying, "How can you fight at full-strength, while being careful of an enemy's life?!"

"I can do it, and I use normal katanas…..a harder task than Kenshin's got, any day of the week." Tetsunosuke retorted; not backing off in the slightest, when the onmitsu briefly looked his way and glared at him for his words.

"In the chaos of the Bakumatsu, you always fought to kill. That is why you stand before me as the ultimate hitokiri! Swordfights are always fights for life! And the battle before us now is the fight of all fights! Until just one remains alive, and the other lies dead at his feet, there can be no end! I've trained in the shadows between life and death, and given everything for this battle! No more empty words! Set yourself to kill me!" Aoshi demanded, as some anger began to filter its' way into his voice.

"Kenshin has also trained on the thin line between life and death. Even though it was only for one week, the ougi for Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu was learned, after he'd returned to his master, Hiko Seijuro….." Tetsunosuke said, as he remembered all that had happened during that week. Kenshin again nodded, this time in agreement with the younger rurouni's words.

"Aa…..and a way was learned….to draw full power without becoming the Battousai again." Kenshin stated, as he wiped some of the blood from his cut lip with his fingers, and gave Aoshi a look filled with the inner strength Tetsunosuke had just spoken of.

"_Yeah, but it'd almost cost Shishou his life, despite that_…." Tetsunosuke added, just barely stopping the shudder that wanted to travel down his spine when he remembered those moments after Hiko had gotten up that morning…..and inwardly hoped that he would be strong enough to fight, when he got to the Aoi-Ya.

"Again, empty words." Aoshi growled, softly.

"Are they? If you think so, then come fight and see for yourself." Kenshin retorted, boldly; finding his words added to even further, when Sanosuke spoke up next.

"Go on, Shinomori-san, you know you want to. It's obvious that talkin's not gonna do it for you. We've got heads to crack, and no time to crack 'em in." Sanosuke said, from where he now stood, "How do guys like us know who's weak and who's strong? We let the fighting do the talking for us…..Besides, in this battle, you're the challenger. Technically, you're in no position to demand anything. If the challenger abandons the fight, the win goes to Kenshin by default."

"I don't think he really gives a flying damn about technicalities, Sano." Tetsunosuke muttered, as he gave Aoshi a glare that even Battousai would have been hard put to match.

"Didn't think he did either, Tetsu, but I thought I'd just put in my yen's worth, anyway." Sanosuke replied; smirking slightly when he saw a hint of exasperation in the other rurouni's eyes at that, before he returned his attention to Kenshin again, "By the way, Kenshin, why is it that I haven't heard about this 'ougi' of yours' before now?" At this, he got an abashed smile from Kenshin in response.

"Gomen, there was so much else to remember….." Kenshin responded, in embarrassment at having forgotten to tell the former fight merchant about this.

"And you knew about it too, Tetsu?" Sanosuke again asked, and got a nod from Tetsunosuke as well.

"Yeah. And it's a helluva move." Tetsunosuke quietly replied; careful of the words he chose, in case Yumi was listening in on the conversation.

"In that case, I feel kinda bad for Yahiko, Yutaro, and Jou-chan…..But at least I'll be the first to see the powered-up, non-Battousai Kenshin." Sanosuke then said, understanding why the other rurouni didn't want to say anything specific about the move itself, or else risk their friend's life any more than it already was in.

"You will, indeed." Kenshin agreed, as his expression sobered slightly, before returning his attention to Aoshi.

"Battousai…..It's time." Aoshi intoned, before they both charged at one another; with their personal beliefs riding on their blades…..But who would be proven wrong? And what would the outcome to this ultimately be? Even Tetsunosuke couldn't tell, at this point.

**_Author's Note!_**

**_Yes, I know I'd promised to have this story finished by the end of this year, but Writer's Block has been cruel this year! Either way, have a great holiday, minna!_**

**_Gemini14_**


	31. A Heart's Strength

Chapter Thirty-One: A Heart's Strength

With no pause between his words and his next course of action, Aoshi began his next attack.

"_Kodachi Nito-Ryu_….._Goko Juji!_" Aoshi silently hissed, as he crossed his dual kodachi in front of him, and swept them towards Kenshin's neck; the rurouni just barely having enough time to read the move, and then knocking him flat onto his back with the Ryu Sho Sen! Yet Kenshin didn't stop there…..as Aoshi fell, he leaped into the air directly above the former Okashira; preparing to launch the Ryu Tsui Sen next…..only to have it blocked by Aoshi as he quickly got up again.

"_Come on, my friend! You can do it!_" Tetsunosuke silently cheered; remaining silent, since he knew that the elder rurouni needed to keep his attention solely on the Onmitsu before him, and knowing just from feeling Sanosuke's ki that the fight merchant was thinking along the same lines he was. And they both watched as Kenshin's blow finally landed, temporarily sending Aoshi to one knee, as blood flowed freely down his face from a cut just a little bit above the hairline. Yet they both could only feel a hint of alarm, when Kenshin landed, and both sides of his neck began to bleed, as well.

"Do you still…..think of them…..as 'empty words'?" Kenshin panted, as he put one hand up to one of the heavily-bleeding cuts, and then glared at Aoshi.

"It's still…..too early….to gloat." Aoshi gasped, then added, with a growl, "One width….of paper…..closer…..and your jugular…..would have been sliced open."

"The width of that paper is the gulf between you, Shinomori." Tetsunosuke murmured; getting a nod from Kenshin for an agreement to that.

"As Tetsu had said before…..while sessha had been training in the shadows between life and death….a strength far stronger than the will to die was found. 'Sometimes, the bravest act is to live'…..that is what sessha's master taught the both of us, then." Kenshin added, as he glanced at Tetsunosuke and they both exchanged glances; the elder rurouni knowing, now, that the former page of Hijikata Toshizo had also re-learned that strength then, as well.

"It took me ten years of searching…..to find my reason to continue living, after the Shogunate fell. Ten years of living with the memory of the horrors I had witnessed, and even committed, then….." Tetsunosuke said, his eyes taking on a haunted look, as he remembered the bloodshed, both within and outside of the Shinsengumi's ranks.

"Aa. And many crimes were committed by Hitokiri Battousai, that can never be totally forgiven. Thus has sessha lived the past decade, without regard for his own life. Yet, no matter what crimes may still haunt, or whatever punishments are waiting to be dealt, sessha will not give up on life." Kenshin added, as he started to step forward; his stance changing, ever-so-slightly as he did so, "You say you've thrown everything away…..but anyone can throw away the unwanted things…..nothing to it."

"Your swords have indeed become the strongest of all, but when it comes to 'heart', you're barely even casting a shadow." Tetsunosuke growled, now seeing where Kenshin was going with this, and as the same thing started becoming apparent in Aoshi's dead-seeming blue eyes…..Emotion was starting to emerge within them.

"What are you talking about?" Aoshi hissed; his own voice gaining a hint of an edge, as he made eye contact with both rurouni.

"Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shikijo, Hannya…..your four most trusted men, are dead. This need you have to offer them glory….Sessha understands that. But to speak those words when your soul is as weak as it is now…..then that desire has become only an excuse to run away from life! What you're doing isn't for them, anymore, it's against them! You're using them as a selfish excuse to kill!" Kenshin almost furiously shouted; his words seeming to strike the Okashira like physical blows, until the Onmitsu actually stood up and landed another blow of his own.

"How dare you!!" Aoshi raged, as the light of anger finally appeared in his eyes; in essence making him seem more alive than before, as he watched Kenshin reel back slightly from the force of the punch….but did not fall

"The question makes you angry…..Is it because it cuts so close?" Kenshin asked, after he'd spat some blood from his mouth, and again gazed strongly at the warrior before him. Tetsunosuke gritted his teeth and held himself back, when yet another punch struck his friend, this time knocking him to the floor.

"What do you know?!" Aoshi snarled, as he glared down on Kenshin like a bloodstained shinigami; his eyes almost glowing with fury as he did so.

"Think, Aoshi…..to offer those four their so-called 'glory'…..you have locked yourself away….But what are you running from?" Kenshin asked, in turn; receiving only a strong kick from the enraged man before him in response; continuing after he'd ended up hitting the nearest bookshelf almost full-force, "Is it because you might feel the weight of their deaths, if you don't?"

"That's something I also understand, Shinomori…..but running away will only get you but so far. Whatever you do in this heartless state, will only do more harm." Tetsunosuke said, as he came and stood beside Kenshin; keeping his eyes on Aoshi, as he helped Kenshin get back to his feet again.

"Move aside." Aoshi demanded; his eyes blazing, as he spat out those words…..and when Tetsunosuke refused to retreat again.

"Shinomori, you…..no, your weakness…..It blames them for your coldness….and it's turning them into evil spirits." Tetsunosuke growled, in response; bracing himself for the incoming blow, and blocking it with his bare hand….Feeling it keenly when the kodachi's blade sliced open his palm, and as his blood started dripping freely down his arm. He also heard it when Kenshin blocked the other kodachi in the same manner.

"Aoshi, did you know…..that Misao-dono has taken over the leadership of the Oniwabanshu? Has declared herself as their Okashira?" Kenshin asked, quietly; continuing when Aoshi didn't say anything in response, "After your battle with Okina, in order to protect both Kyoto and the Oniwabanshu, she took on the burden of leadership in your stead." It was a few moments before Aoshi said anything in response to those words, yet, when he did, his tone was almost gentle.

"Misao is….a strong girl. I'm not pleased that she's involved herself with the Oniwabanshu…..but I know she'll be a strong leader for them." Aoshi murmured, as warmth and sadness emerged very briefly in his seemingly frozen eyes.

"Then did you know that that 'strong girl' you'd just mentioned, shed tears when we promised to bring your sorry ass back?" Tetsunosuke growled; glaring up into Aoshi's shocked gaze, as he said that (and ignoring Kenshin's vaguely aghast look, at the way he'd phrased that comment), "It doesn't matter how 'strong' she seems to be, she's still only sixteen! And there's only one person who can dry her tears, Shinomori, and that's you! Don't run away from the truth any longer, and stop blaming those who had sacrificed themselves for you! Despite what you think, they don't want the so-called glory you offer!"

"What Tetsu is saying is the truth, Aoshi! Call back the courage you had lost, and find your soul again! It's time to restart the life that had stopped at Kanryu Mansion, and high time you woke up!" Kenshin almost shouted; knowing just from feeling the ki of the man before him, and beside him, that these were words that were hard to say, and equally as difficult to hear. For a few moments, time seemed to stand still within the library; all three warriors seeming frozen by those words alone, as their eyes remained locked on each other's.

"_In many ways, I understand what Shinomori had been through_…._The loss of the Shinsengumi could have led me down this path, and yet_…." Tetsunosuke thought, then mentally shook his head. He remembered too well what Okita's final request of him had been, ten years prior.

"_Please live, my friend. Live out your life for us, and live it to the fullest!_" Okita had whispered, painfully, as he had lain dying in the hospital from tuberculosis; his eyes almost shining with tears, as he'd said those words.

"_What reason should I have to continue living, Okita-san? The Shogunate's gone, my brother's still missing, and I'm going to be hunted for the rest of my days! What hope do I have to even find a peaceful life for myself, after this?!_" he remembered asking, and got a sad, knowing smile from the dying man in response.

"_You'll find a reason to live, my friend. It may take_….._a while_…._But you'll definitely find it. Have faith, and keep living._" Okita had said, before finally closing his eyes, and passing away.

"_And I may have found it, in this era_…._This age of Meiji_…._and it is something I want to protect, above all else!_" Tetsunosuke thought, just barely having the time to brace himself before Aoshi broke free of the standstill, and sent both him and Kenshin flying backwards again; with Kenshin landing on top of the younger rurouni, when they finally came to a stop.

"Ow….." Tetsunosuke wheezed, before Kenshin quickly got off of him, and help him sit back up.

"Sessha did tell you to stay out of the fight, Tetsu." Kenshin murmured, once he was sure that he was all right.

"No need….to rub it in….But he packs a helluva wallop….." Tetsunosuke mumbled, as they both got up, and then looked at the Onmitsu again. Aoshi now had his back to them, and seemed to be sorting his thoughts.

"…..Aoshi….." Kenshin quietly said, as he gazed at the other man; tensing when he finally spoke again.

"Even if what you have both said is true…..How can I move on, unless we finish this battle?" Aoshi asked, calmly; his tone hinting that something had changed within the former Okashira…..

"Since when did sessha say that he objected to finishing it?" Kenshin replied, as a slight smile emerged on his bruised and bloodied features, and as Aoshi then turned and looked at the trio standing before him.

"Watch it, Kenshin….His eyes are different, this time." Sanosuke said, as he also seemed to sense the change in the other man. Aoshi's eyes now finally seemed alive; it no longer seemed as though they were looking at a walking dead man.

"Aa. They're his eyes. The eyes from long before Kanryu Mansion…..they belong to the man those four had sacrificed themselves for, that Okina-dono had respected, and Misao-dono had admired. That is the true Shinomori Aoshi!" Kenshin stated, as he stepped forward…..but not before giving Tetsunosuke a look that simply said it all.

"I get the point without you even sayin' anything…..Sheesh. I'll stay out of it." Tetsunosuke muttered, as he took an extra step back, for added measure…..Almost doing a double-take, when a very, very slight smirk briefly appeared on Aoshi's face, and then was gone again.

"Win or lose, I've no regrets." Aoshi said, quietly, as he took up a ready position in front of the elder rurouni.

"Agreed. It's our final match." Kenshin murmured in agreement, then silently added, as he assumed the battojutsu stance, "_Bring all and leave nothing!_"

"_And let's hope that this is what it takes to finish this, once and for all!_" Tetsunosuke silently thought, as he pushed his own nervousness aside, and focused on the two warriors before him; not even noticing that Okita's ghost had disappeared from his side, once again.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"So, which of those two do you think would win?" Soujiro asked, when he had returned to the meeting room; unaware that he was being followed by a restless spirit.

"Well, they are pretty equal." Shishio muttered, coolly, as he sat back and took a few thoughtful pulls on his pipe.

"A draw would be the best we could ask for, so long as they both die. It would be killing two birds with one stone." Houji said, sanguinely.

"I'd rather have Himura-san win. I, for one, want some closure for Shingetsu Village and the _**Rengoku**_." Soujiro added, cheerfully (even though he was getting an unreadable look from Houji for his comment), then asked, "But if Shinomori-san does win, what are you going to do then?"

"Hmm…..well, let's see….If that happens, then I'll defeat him, and become the 'strongest'. How does that sound?" Shishio asked, rhetorically, with a smirk, before lapsing into silence, and beginning the wait for word about the outcome of the battle.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

For several long moments, Kenshin and Aoshi stared at each other; the tension so thick, even a katana would have been too dull to cut it.

"_Damn_….._a perfect stand-off!_" Tetsunosuke inwardly muttered, as he and Sanosuke waited for the final fight to begin.

"_Whether it's Kenshin or Aoshi, this is it, the last match! Aoshi's using dual-kodachi, no mistake there, and the move he's gonna use, will be Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren_…._which means six super-fast strikes from either the left or the right._" Sanosuke thought, as he tensely took in the situation.

"_Six strikes in rapid succession_….._a move that's similar in many ways to the Kuzu Ryu Sen_…._But can he pull it off? Will he be able to use the ougi?_" Tetsunosuke tensely added, without even realizing it; watching as the ghosts of the dead Oniwabanshu gathered around their former leader, and felt it when the ki around Aoshi changed again, and his ice-blue gaze became even more determined than before…..yet still he did not move.

"_This could take a while_…." Beshimi muttered, as he took a seat on one of the bookshelves nearby.

"_It's just the Okashira's style, though. He'd always preferred duels in the past_…._Of course, whenever he'd get his ass handed to him, he'd go off and sulk for a few days._" Shikijo added, his comment getting a very slight twitch from Aoshi, to prove that he'd heard his words.

"_Though I guess that didn't happen very often, considering how strong he is now, right?_" Tetsunosuke questioned, seeming to surprise the other ghosts with the fact that he could see and hear them.

"_You'd be right about that, Miburo._" Hannya agreed, quietly; yet they all went silent again, when Sanosuke suddenly noticed something that they had missed before. Yumi, who had been suspiciously quiet for some time now, had somehow sneaked over to what appeared to be a Marconi set, and stood ready to relay a message; her eyes also glued to what was going on in front of her.

"Kenshin, watch out! The battle's being spied on for Shishio!! Don't use the ougi!" Sanosuke shouted, yet seemingly went unheard, as both warriors abruptly started moving. With a swiftness that Tetsunosuke had only seen in but a few individuals before, Aoshi flew towards Kenshin with both kodachi aimed for either side of the rurouni's neck.

"_In the midst of a final battle, the 'paper's thickness' between life and death has to be determined, and the ougi must be unleashed_….._That tiny window of time doesn't leave a whole hell of a lot of room for error_…._But_….." Tetsunosuke mused, remembering what he had seen, when the ougi had been passed to Kenshin, and then watching with that same feeling of awe, as his friend again drew upon that strength to defeat Aoshi, "_Despite the odds set against him, he'll somehow make the impossible, possible!_"

"_Ooh. He's gonna be feelin' that later_…." Beshimi mumbled, as they all watched Aoshi hit the floor.

"_No shit._" Shikijo, Hannya, and Hyottoko agreed; seemingly glad that that move hadn't been used on them, when they had been alive.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Shishio-sama! A telegram from Yumi!" Houji said, as he approached his master with the telegram in hand.

"What does it say, Houji?" Shishio asked, calmly.

"Himura has just shown his secret move! It seems that, just as Shinomori's strike was about to land, Himura unleashed his battojutsu! Here's her description! 'I….'" Houji began, yet stopped for a moment when he read the next words, and anger appeared in his eyes, "'….didn't see it." At this, he got laughter from Soujiro, and even a vaguely amused snicker from Shishio, as he furiously shredded the telegram (all the while growling 'I hate women!' under his breath, as he did so). And yet, all Okita's ghost could feel, at that moment, was relief.

"But she's wrong, all the same. It had landed first, even though Aoshi's strike had been released first. This makes it a 'god-speed battojutsu'." Shishio murmured, then silently added, "_But there must be more to it, than that. A characteristic that adds even more power to the ougi_….._something unique_…."

"_I just hope he doesn't find out what it is that makes the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's ougi so powerful_…._Making this probably the first time I have ever hoped that the Battousai will survive through a battle._" Okita silently mused, as he waited for more news, and watched the young man who could be his son closely…..

_**Author's Note!**_

_**I'm Baaaack! I know it's taken me long enough to get this chapter posted (and it may not be the best one, on record) but Writer's Block has been merciless, so far! Hopefully the next few chapters won't be as big of a pain in the butt as this one had been! Wish me luck, minna!**_

_**Gemini14**_


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